Festivalisdefinedasaspecialoccasiononwhichpeoplemaygivethanksforaharvest,commemorateanhonoredpersonorevent,payrespecttothedead,orcelebrateaculture.Festival,asaculturalphenomenon,comesintobeingduringthecourseofhumandevelopmentandhistoricalevolution.Thisuniqueculturalphenomenonembodieshumancognitionandattentiontothenaturalenvironmentsandperipheralsurroundings.Asweknow,adiversemultitudeoffestivalsareenjoyedworldwide.Althoughthedifferentregions,nations,religionsandculturesbringaboutmultifariousfestivals,andthemeansofcelebrationvaryfromoneplacetoanother,mostofpeoplebearcommonfeelingsforthefestivals,thatisprayingforhappinessandhealth,fulfillingthegoodwill,andshowingtheloveoflife.
FarandawaythemostimportantholidayinChinaisSpringFestival,alsoknownastheChineseNewYear.Thedateforthisannualcelebrationaredeterminedbythelunarcalendar,sothetimingoftheholiday(the1stdayofalunaryear)variesfromlateJanuarytoearlyFebruary.
ThefestivalactuallybeginsontheeveofthelunarNewYear'sDayandendsonthefifthdayofthefirstmonthofthelunarcalendar,whichiscalledtheLanternFestivalPreparationsfortheNewYear
JustastheWesthasHalloweenforghostsandghouls,soalsodoesChinesehaveaholidaytofetethedepartedspiritsoftheunderworld-TheGhostFestival.Ghostsroamtheworldeveryyearforalunarmonth,itissaid.InsomeareasofChina,visitorscanseesmallroadsidefires,wherebelieversburnpapermoneyandotherofferingstoappeasetherestlessspirits,whohavetemporarilybeenreleasedfromHades.
Nowaday,ChinesebecomesokeenonthewesternfestivalsuchasChristmasandThankgivingday.PeoplearoundcelebrateChristmasprobablybecausetheywantmorefestival.
Festivalshouldnotonlybeadaythatwegettogetherandenjoyourselves,butmoreadaythatisfullofmeanings.
