Shortly after Christmas, when China announced the Covid Quarantine drop for international travellers, I got messages from my family and friends, asking if I would be back in China for Chinese New Year. The answer was no, but it got me thinking about my old life in China and especially what it was like celebrating Chinese New Year.

If I had to explain Chinese New Year to a western friend, I would probably say, that it has a similar meaning for Chinese as Christmas does in the western world. However, Christmas is perhaps much quieter. When I was a child, I didn’t really like the whole preparation process of Chinese New Year. People were busy the whole December (according to the lunar calendar in China of course) and things would get really stressful when the little year starts (about one week before the new year). Flats and houses must be cleaned completely like brand new. I was often assigned to the window cleaning project which was no fun at all. And then this never - ending making of dumplings lasted at least three days. Finally, it was New Year’s Eve, and I was supposed to watch the New Year Gala on CCTV (China Central Television) which was mostly boring.

But once the fun part started, I enjoyed it too. I enjoyed putting on my new clothes on the first day of the new year which means new year, new look. I enjoyed getting red packages from my parents and relatives and counting each time how much money I had already got. I enjoyed meeting all the relatives and friends during this time of the year, because otherwise it would be difficult to get different people together at the same time. Most of the time, it was too noisy for me. I was and still am a quiet person, but for some strange reason I could stand that noise.

It was definitely a mixed feeling for me. At least that’s what I thought. At this moment, as someone who has not been able to visit family and friends for years, looking back at the time I spent with them, I just realise what I have been missing.

The little year has just begun in China and the new year of rabbit is coming in a couple of days. Let me take this opportunity and say it to each of you: Happy Chinese New Year (Guo Nian Hao) ! :)