【Culture Note】春節(jié)文化

　　In the old days, New Year's money was given in the form of one hundred copper coins strung together on a red string and symbolized the hope that one would live to be a hundred years old. Today, money is placed inside red envelopes in denominations considered auspicious and given to represent luck and wealth

　　辭舊歲 bid farewell to the old year

　　掃房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning

　　【Food names】春節(jié)食品名稱：

　　年糕 Nian-gao; rise cake; New Year cake

　　團圓飯 family reunion dinner

　　年夜飯 the dinner on New Year's Eve

　　八寶飯 eight treasures rice pudding

　　湯圓 sweet dumplings; dumplings made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings

　　糖果盤 candy tray:

　　什錦糖 assorted candies - sweet and fortune

　　蜜冬瓜 candied winter melon - growth and good health

　　金桔 cumquat - prosperity

　　紅棗 red dates - prosperity

　　糖蓮子 candied lotus seed - many descendents to come

　　糖藕 candied lotus root - fulfilling love relationship

　　花生糖 peanut candy - sweet