Comparison between Christmas and the Spring Festival
Dating back to the ancient times, there have existed a festival to bid farewell to the old year and to usher in the new one. Despite the differences between the western countries and China, Christmas and the Spring Festival gradually came into existence.
Certain similarities do exist between these two festivals on the grounds that all of various cultures, essentially speaking, have been developing in a similar way. For instance, they are both the longest holidays of substantial importance and held annually in their own areas. Besides, on holiday, vacationers tend to do a shopping spree and to decorate their houses to lend houses a festive look. Moreover, family members or friends dine together for a festive feast to celebrate the end of the last year and the beginning of a new year in spite of different calendars.
Nevertheless, all features are not the same.
Owing to some natural conditions such as climate and soil, people have turkeys, apple pies and so on to celebrate the Christmas while some delicious cuisines made of poultry and vegetables are served in the Spring Festival.
Secondly, people in western countries usually decorate an every-green tree with some small colorful balls, lights, stars, santa hats and a big yellow star placed on the top of the tree. Reversely, in China, Spring couplets, Spring Festival pictures, and “fu zi” are pasted up for decoration.
Apart from those mentioned above, it is pretty common to present a gift during the holidays. On Christmas, wrapped box gifts are often put under a Christmas tree. Children are delighted to hang Christmas stockings in which they will find candies and presents after Christmas Eve. However, it differs in China. It is conventional that elders give children “hong bao” in the Spring Festival------a red paper bag with money and elders’ wishes.
Last but not least, diverse origins of festivals are diverse customs to some degrees. Christmas stems from a pagan festival which was tailored to be compatible with Doxies of Christianity later. Different from that, the Spring Festival derives from a legend that people manage to drive away a monster identified as “nian” that used to appear and hurt people at New Year’s Eve. Therefore, the custom of firing firecrackers and getting together for a feast could survive.
On balance, festivals take root in their own culture. Anyhow, when you are in Rome, do as Roman does.
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