1.TheFestivalofLanternstakesplaceattheendoftheChineseNewYearCelebration,onthefifteenthdayofthefirstmoon.LanternshavebeenpartofChineselifeforcenturiessoit'snotsurprisingtoseeafestivaloflanterns.
Peopleusuallyhanglanternsinthegardens,outsidethehouses,andontheboats.TheselanternsaresignpoststoguideguestsandspiritsofancestorstotheLunarcelebration.Afterasumptuousfifteen-dayfeast,theselanternslightthewayforthespiritsbacktotheworldbeyond.
Silk,paperandplasticlanternsvaryinshapeandsizeandareusuallymulti-colored.Someareintheshapesofbutterflies,birds,flowers,andboats.Otherareshapedlikedragon,fruitandanimalsymbolsofthatyear.Themostpopulartypeoflanternisthe"horse-racing"one,inwhichfiguresoranimalsrotatearoundtheverticalaxisofthelantern.
2.ThespecialfoodfortheLanternFestivalisYuenSinorTongYuen.Thesearerounddumplingsmadewithstickyriceflour.Theycanbefilledandservedasasweetsnackormadeplainandcookedinasoupwithvegetables,meatanddriedshrimp.Theroundshapeofthedumplingisasymbolofwholeness,completenessandunity.
TheLanternFestivalisanoccasionforfamiliestogettogetherandforeveryone--young,old,richandpoortohavefun.
3.LanternFestival
The15thdayofthe1stlunarmonthistheChineseLanternFestivalbecausethefirstlunarmonthiscalledyuan-monthandintheancienttimespeoplecallednightXiao.The15thdayisthefirstnighttoseeafullmoon.SothedayisalsocalledYuanXiaoFestivalinChina.
AccordingtotheChinesetradition,attheverybeginningofanewyear,whenthereisabrightfullmoonhanginginthesky,thereshouldbethousandsofcolorfullanternshungoutforpeopletoappreciate.Atthistime,peoplewilltrytosolvethepuzzlesonthelanternsandeatyuanxiao(glutinousriceball)andgetalltheirfamiliesunitedinthejoyfulatmosphere.