Chinese New Year Day-by-Day Schedule for Fifteen Days in 2022
Chinese New Year, also popularly called the Spring Festival, is regarded as a celebration of most importance every year. The celebrations usually last for around sixteen days from New Year’s Eve to the fifteenth day of the New Year and the celebrations end with a lantern festival on this day. The Chinese New Year day-by-day schedule of 2022 starts on 31st January and ends on 15th February.
Special Family Reunion Dinners on Chinese New Year Eve
Chinese New Year Eve falls on the last day of the year according to the Chinese lunar calendar, and it has a history of around 3500 years. The reunion dinner on this day mostly witnesses the world’s largest migration of people each year, and hence making plans in advance for Chinese New Year is the best way to enjoy it without last-minute worry.
Foods to Serve on Chinese New Year
Even when there are many regional differences in culture and customs, most Chinese families have similar beliefs about the New Year’s meal. The New Year’s foods represent which should come the next year: rice, cakes, fish, dumplings, and fruits, all of which represents wealth and prosperity. Rice cakes take a higher position or status in the reunion dinner. People eat sweet balls for family togetherness, and noodles for longevity.
Things to Do on Chinese New Year Eve
The usual activity before New Year Eve is cleaning and shopping for snacks and decorations. People will be excited to put up decorations at their home, and they offer sacrifices of meat, fruit, wine, and incense sticks - they are placed on their ancestor’s graves or shrines.
Families with guests will stay up late to watch the CCTV Gala and gift red envelopes with money to their dear ones. According to their belief, the red colour symbolises good luck. Some families will also visit mountain-top temples to listen to ringing bells in the new year.
Chinese New Year Day-by-Day Schedule in 2022
Day 1 (February 1, 2022): Celebrating the Commencement of New Year
In the Chinese New Year day-by-day schedule, the morning of the first day begins with people setting off firecrackers before they go out, and they do this in the belief of driving evil spirits away. The common thing to do on this day in ancient times was to visit relatives, neighbours, friends and aged people. It happens even today, but younger generations mostly prefer shopping, singing karaoke, or partying while older people stay at home.
Day 2 (February 2, 2022): Welcoming Sons-in-Law of Families
The second day of the Chinese New Year is to welcome sons-in-law in families or visit the wife’s family. Married daughters visit their family on this day with their husbands with gifts and red envelopes for children at their family’s home, and they will have lunch at their parent’s place.
Day 3 (February 3, 2022): Staying at Home
Chinese people considered this day as a day that brings bad luck during ancient times, and hence people refused to go out on this day. Many traditional taboos existed that included cleaning homes, having arguments, visiting other people’s homes, drawing water, and so on. But only a few people believe in such superstitions as time passes. More people now consider the third day as a holiday to spend a good time with their family.
Day 4 (February 4, 2022): Hailing the Kitchen Gods
The fourth day of Chinese New Year is considered a favourable day, and people welcome the Kitchen God as he returns to earth from heaven. People welcome the Gods by burning incense, lighting candles, preparing fruits, alcohol, fish, pork, and chicken for meals for the day.
Day 5 (February 5, 2022): Welcoming the God of Fortune
The fifth day of the Chinese New Year is the birthday of God of Fortune, and hence families welcome the God of Fortune to their houses. People usually celebrate this day with a large meal keeping their doors and windows open as a welcoming gesture towards the Gods. Setting off firecrackers is also common. Chinese people believe that it attracts the attention of God of Fortune to ask for a favour and good fortune from the Gods.
Day 6 (February 6, 2022): Driving Away the Ghost of Poverty
Chinese families get rid of rubbish and ragged clothes from their homes and clean their houses in the hope of driving poverty away from families. They believe that it helps to welcome prosperity and success in the coming year.
Day 7 (February 7, 2022): Celebrating Birthday of Human Beings
According to beliefs, humans were created by the mother goddess Nu Wa. The seventh day of the Chinese New Year is to celebrate human beings. Thick soup is prepared and served in families with different kinds of vegetables in the belief that it will ward off diseases.
Day 8 (February 8, 2022): Celebrating the Birthday of Millet
The eighth day of Chinese New Year is the birthday of one of the important crops in ancient China - millet. According to beliefs, the year will bring a good harvest if the day is bright and clear.
Day 9 (February 9, 2022): Celebrating Jade Emperor’s Birthday
Chinese families celebrate the birthday of the Supreme Deity of Taoism - the Jade Emperor on this day. They believe that all the deities of heaven and earth celebrate his birthday, and families attend ceremonies in Taoist temples. People set off firecrackers continuously from midnight on this day. They also offer sacrifice to the emperor, and they take a shower before that to show respect.
Day 10 (February 10, 2022): Honouring the Birthday of God of Stone
Families burn candles and incense on this day to honour stone as it is the birthday of God of Stone. Moving stones is forbidden on the tenth day, and it includes stone mills, stone rollers and stone mortars. People also prepare and offer pancakes to God on this day.
Day 11 (February 11, 2022): Dragon Dance
People welcome their sons-in-law of a family on this day to their homes. In some regions, people celebrate this day by holding a dragon dance and also by accompanying firecrackers.
Day 12 to Day 14 (February 12 - February 14, 2022): Preparing for the Lantern Festival
People prepare themselves for the big lantern festival during these days by building lanterns and building lantern shacks.
Day 15 (February 15, 2022): Celebrating the Lantern Festival
In the Chinese New Year day-by-day schedule, the 15th day marks the first full moon after the Spring Festival and of the New Year. It is also known as yuán xiāo jié meaning "the first night of the full moon". The day is as well known as Lantern Festival day.
Another reunion dinner is held with lanterns and oranges being a large part of the celebrations.
It is customary to eat special sweet dumplings called yuanxiao resembling the shape of the full moon. These round balls are made of glutinous rice flour stuffed with sugar fillings, symbolising reunion.
Chinese New Year Spring Cleaning Service in Singapore
Spring Cleaning is an essential household activity before the beginning of the Chinese New Year. Spring cleaning is done at least a week before the New Year's Eve. Professional spring cleaning service is available in Singapore to prepare your home to welcome friends and family.
Book a deep cleaning service on the Sendhelper app to get your spring cleaning done in time.
