中国春节的习俗英文版
大年初一,串门走亲戚
On the first day, the oldest and mostsenior members will be visited, the visits serve to srengthen family kinship. This practice is called bai nian, or wishing somebody a Happy New Year.
The visitor will bring a small gift to the household which will be visited-usually two mandarin oranges, as the fruitsymbolises gold, hence wealth and good fortune. Giving oranges in pairs because of the preference of number two in Chinese culture as there is an idiom saying hao shi cheng shuang or good things come in pairs.
大年初二,媳妇回娘家
On this day, married daughters usually go back to their own family to visit their parents, relatives and close friends. Traditionally, married daughters didn't have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.
In old days, since married daughters are considered as outsider and no longer belonging to their parents family(在旧时代,人们认为"嫁出去的女儿,泼出去的水"), they are not required to come back for reunion dinner on the New Year Eve or come back on the first day of the New Year.
大年初三,老鼠嫁女儿
Today is the 3rd day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. After being busy visiting and receiving guests for two days, Chinese people can rest for a while.
Actually, it is considered an unlucky day to have guests or go visiting. People will go to rest earlier at night and get up late in the morning.
The folklore is the 3rd day is for rat marriage day (老鼠娶亲). So people will restrict night activities in order to give ratstime for their wedding.