Of all the festivals, the Spring Festival is the most important one in China .

Several days before the Chinese New Year, people clean their houses, take down the old pictures and put up new ones. On New Year's Eve, they have a special family dinner. Everybody, even from far away, tries to come home for this celebration. During dinner they eat and chat, and they watch the New Year TV programs.

They celebrations usually last for 15 days. On the first day of the New Year, people get up early and say “Happy New Year” to each other. On the second and third days, they go to visit their friends and relatives.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival. In the evening there are lantern shows or lion dance in parks or streets. People, both young and old, go to enjoy themselves. Sometimes they sing and dance late into the night.