Go Snakes!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! You may be thinking, "dude, that was 6 weeks ago...", but the Chinese New Year celebration has been going on for the last week! When the "western" calendar New Year happened (1/1/13), people didn't really say "Happy New Year". Instead they would say "Happy 元旦", which just means "Happy New Years Day". It's more of a day of celebration, rather than the recognition of a new year. So during the past 6 weeks, people would still say "next year", meaning after Chinese New Year, or "last year", meaning before last year's Chinese new year. It got rather confusing actually. And this year is the year of the Snake, so all you babies of 1989- this is our year! I thought that was supposed to be a good thing, like my lucky year. But actually apparently it's bad luck so you really have to watch out. During "your" year, you're supposed to wear a piece of jade on a red string tied around your wrist, or some people who are really afraid tie them around their waist (you just wear it under all your clothes). I think I'll opt for the bracelet...

Starting February 9th, New Year's Eve, the entire country (well at least Beijing and Xi'an) is covered in red lanterns and creepy snake decorations. The lanterns are quite beautiful, even more so at night when they're all lit up! One of my American friends even said she wants to decorate her house for Christmas with Chinese lanterns next year. Another sign it's Chinese New Year= constant fireworks and firecrackers, which sound like gun shots or collapsing buildings. It's absolutely terrifiying. I feel like I know understand what it's like to live in a war zone. There's no regard for fire safety, although I haven't heard about any major fires...Also many stores and restaurants are closed for the holiday. Most people only have this 1 week off, but the actual New Year lasts for 2 weeks so some lucky government employees get two weeks. Think of Chinese New Year like our Winter Holidays...

So here is a collection of the best decorations from Xi'an:

The city gates on the historic city wall

Store Decorations

An entire street of lanterns

lanterns at night!

Most people's doors (and apparently underpasses too) are decorated with  two strips of red paper, which have wishes and blessings for the New Year.

decorations outside my house

small fireworks in the narrow space between two cars

Firecrackers. SO LOUD.

more fireworks