Contrary to popular belief, Chinese refer to the 15-day festival as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year -- not Chinese New Year.
1. Chinese don't call it Chinese New Year —
Contrary to popular belief, Chinese refer to the 15-day festival as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year -- not Chinese New Year.
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Each Lunar New Year, travel Armageddon strikes China. More than 3.6 billion estimated journeys will be made throughout the holiday period.
2. Traffic is chaos —
Each Lunar New Year, travel Armageddon strikes China. More than 3.6 billion estimated journeys will be made throughout the holiday period.
Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images
Starting January 31, 2014, holiday events such as lantern festivals, bazaars and horse races pack the lunar calendar. This year, the last day of celebrations falls on Valentine's Day.
3. There are 15 days of festivities —
Starting January 31, 2014, holiday events such as lantern festivals, bazaars and horse races pack the lunar calendar. This year, the last day of celebrations falls on Valentine's Day.
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Lunar New Year custom forbids cleaning -- it's believed to sweep away good luck. Finally, the perfect excuse to slob out.
4. There are many quirky customs —
Lunar New Year custom forbids cleaning -- it's believed to sweep away good luck. Finally, the perfect excuse to slob out.
Ed Jones/AFP/GettyImages
Feeling pressured to get hitched? Nowadays, single Chinese women can rent fake boyfriends online to bring home to appease pushy parents.
5. You can rent a boyfriend —
Feeling pressured to get hitched? Nowadays, single Chinese women can rent fake boyfriends online to bring home to appease pushy parents.
WANG ZHAO/AFP/Getty Images
Turn the Chinese character for luck (fu) upside down to make "dao," which sounds like "arrival." The character is often attached to doors to bring in good fortune for the new year.
6. Puns are important —
Turn the Chinese character for luck (fu) upside down to make "dao," which sounds like "arrival." The character is often attached to doors to bring in good fortune for the new year.
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Fireworks are a must for Lunar New Year. Legend says a monster named Nian is easily scared off by loud noises.
7. Fireworks frighten monsters —
Fireworks are a must for Lunar New Year. Legend says a monster named Nian is easily scared off by loud noises.
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She's sporting the right style for the Lunar New Year. Red underwear is said to ward off bad luck, especially for those marking the arrival of their "benming," or birthday year, as based on the Chinese zodiac.
8. Red undies are important —
She's sporting the right style for the Lunar New Year. Red underwear is said to ward off bad luck, especially for those marking the arrival of their "benming," or birthday year, as based on the Chinese zodiac.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Sweet eats make for a sweet year. Lunar New Year is the time for traditional desserts such as babaofan or "eight treasure rice" (pictured), nian gao (rice pudding) and cripsy sugar dumplings.
9. Sweets are abundant —
Sweet eats make for a sweet year. Lunar New Year is the time for traditional desserts such as babaofan or "eight treasure rice" (pictured), nian gao (rice pudding) and cripsy sugar dumplings.
courtesy j w marriott
Absurd yet (usually) funny "hesuipian" (LNY genre) films are much like Christmas movies -- uplifting holiday comedies with feel good endings. This year's anticipated hesuipian hit, released in Hong Kong on January 28, is called "Hello Babies."
10. LNY has its own movie genre —
Absurd yet (usually) funny "hesuipian" (LNY genre) films are much like Christmas movies -- uplifting holiday comedies with feel good endings. This year's anticipated hesuipian hit, released in Hong Kong on January 28, is called "Hello Babies."
courtesy pegasus motion pictures
While Lunar New Year customs traditionally forbid shoe shopping, there's no need to fret skipping a hot sale you can't bear to miss. Alternative interpretations allow many restrictive holiday superstitions to be conveniently ignored.
11. Rules are flexible —
While Lunar New Year customs traditionally forbid shoe shopping, there's no need to fret skipping a hot sale you can't bear to miss. Alternative interpretations allow many restrictive holiday superstitions to be conveniently ignored.
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