Gung Hay Fat Choy! This is the Chinese greeting for the New Year
celebrated in the beginning of the year. From ancient times to the
present, Chinese people have been welcoming in the New Year and
chasing away the evil spirits by setting off firecrackers. Large
crowds gather in the narrow streets of Chinatown in New York, San
Francisco and other cities where Chinese have settled. A huge cloth
dragon sways back and forth around the street corners, chasing a red
sunball or a white pearl-ball. Following the dragon are people playing
drums and gongs, and lion dancers with paper lion heads on sticks. As
they dance, store and business owners come outside to give them
money.
In China, New Year is the most important holiday, and it is
observed by Chinese all over the world.
The holiday has added significance because every Chinese celebrates
his/her birthday on New Year, regardless of the month in which he or
she was actually born.