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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: What do people do on New Year's Eve in China?
My first CNY here in China...last year I went home for the break.
Now I am in a resort hotel with the gf in a small city and the place is empty....it's surreal not being around throngs of people...and while I find this refreshing she finds it troubling.
I'm not sure if we should venture into town and find something to do or not.
What do people do tonight? Drink baijiu? Watch fireworks? (not sure if they will have them here)
It is traditional here in China to have a big family dinner, lots of food and drinking, then off to the fireworks display and the coming of the New Year. It will be my 4th one in person, plus one over Yahoo Messanger if that counts.
Last year, fireworks were already continuous by 10 pm, and by 11:30 it was like war. It was a continuous explosion and display of lights. It lasted until almost 3 am, then down to a few, and cleaning crews out getting all that trash off the streets.
On New Year Day, it is traditional to visit relatives and good friends, and bring them gifts of fruits mostly. You are not supposed to do any housework that day.
Have fun at the hotel, and yes, do go to a nice restaurant tonight. And do have a few beers too !
I went to midnight mass at the local Chinese Catholic Church (The Chinese Catholic Patriotic Society). Very moving and the church was overflowing with people.
OK...I was wrong about the fireworks.
The hotel here is perched on the side of a mountain overlooking the town and we are on the the top floor.....it's been a great night viewing the numerous fireworks displays.
But the best part is we are far enough away to have peace and not the ever consuming nasty noise of firecrackers.
We went to town earlier and the noise was deafening from them.
Indeed it sounded like the conclusion of the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky here or the Battle of Berlin 1945 I am not sure. The sky was filled with fireworks until the early hours of the morning. The city fireworks, the neighbourhood fireworks, the neighbor's fireworks. The building actually shook with all of these booms. The air smells like gunpowder this morning. It puts any 4th of July that I have ever seen to shame.
I wathced the live show held by CCTV and set off fireworks, and ate dumpling in the midnight.
Against my better judgement, I drank the dreaded Bijiu.....along with some nice cold beers...took a nap...woke up 12:30pm. Gorged on dumplings and went home.