MK socks south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 27, 2025. China is alive with vibrant celebrations with the Spring Festival just around the corner. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2025/2025-02-02/ea2efec6-116e-4cba-b2ed-395cdd60121f.jpeg" />

People look at festive lanterns in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 27, 2025. China is alive with vibrant celebrations with the Spring Festival just around the corner. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

Spring Festival in China is so much more than anything we in the West can relate to. This year will be my 19th in China. Now, I'm proud to call China home and never more pleased to be here than at the Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival.

Spring Festival in China is broader than a national holiday. It has become something celebrated all over the world because we can find Chinese people everywhere. There isn't a single country I can think of where we can't find a Chinese community and I don't recall going anywhere in the world where I didn't see a Chinese restaurant. Antarctica perhaps?

To describe what it is that I like about China and being here for Chinese New Year isn't hard. I'd just use an alliteration - not necessarily in any order of importance: festivities, family, food, feelings, fireworks, flowers and, of course, finances.

Finances, in the form of hongbao- the little red packets with money inside that kids are pleased to receive from their relatives and family friends. In South China's Guangdong Province, where I live, once you get married, you stop receiving hongbaoand start giving them.

Feelingsrun deep in China, and there is a sense of national pride that can't be denied. Chinese New Year is one of the moments that make people proud to be Chinese. Many rich traditions that have lasted thousands of years are deeply rooted in the Chinese New Year celebrations. People greet each other with friendship, camaraderie and kind words. I have no idea how many different ways there are to say "Happy New Year" in China, but there are certainly a lot, and I suspect the regions I haven't visited have even more than I already know. This is indeed a happy time.

Fireworkshave been the subject of many restrictions for obvious reasons, but during Chinese New Year, some regions relax these rules — at least in the places I've been to. I've been lucky enough to have spent a couple of New Year celebrations in my wife's hometown in Guangdong Province, where the atmosphere is incredibly lively. As the sun sets, fireworks light up the sky and continue throughout the night.

Foodis an intrinsic part of China's culture, and there are, of course, many special foods for the Chinese New Year, many of them circular, or in round tins or packets. The circle is an auspicious shape, symbolizing many aspects of Chinese culture, especially during the Chinese New Year. Even meals are served on round tables. Each region has its own specialties, but to those who make and enjoy them, they are part of a shared feeling.

Festivitiesinclude the annual New Year's TV shows, which are extravaganzas of sights, sounds, colors and arts. They encompass the traditional arts and modern arts, covering intangible heritages such as opera as well as contemporary popular performances. These shows last for hours and are eagerly anticipated by many. In this year's Gala, a Yangge folk dance performed by robots has stunned many watchers, as the performance, using an innovative approach, blended cultural heritage with cutting-edge technology. 

I've even been honored to appear in a couple of local productions, and this year, will be doing so again as I watch Dragon Dancers in my adopted home town of Zhongshan, Guangdong Province. Family reunion has special significance for our family, as my wife's sister is back from Australia for her first Chinese New Year in eight years. Their three children, two of whom were born in China, are here for the first one they are old enough to remember.

Flowersare such an important part of the festival. Every region has markets that are dedicated to selling blossoms signifying the birth of a new year, and every home is festooned with colors, many of them red. My own home this year is blessed with a huge display of orchids, which are also decorated with auspicious blessings.

Finally, family, without which it would be very hard to celebrate anything. Family reunions are incredibly important at this time of year. As China is such a large country with so many workers living away from home, we witness an annual exodus from industrial and manufacturing bases back to the home towns. I've travelled during this period, and the air on trains is filled with happiness. Don't expect a quiet time travelling this time of year. Every seat is filled, everyone is chatting, music is playing, and sometimes it's even being sung. The idea of getting home in time for the Festival is on everyone's mind, and the transportation system here ramps up by adding hundreds of additional trains to make sure everyone can get home.

All in all, China is a great place to be when Chinese New Year comes around. Now, it's time to enjoy the food and festivities with my family.

The author is a British Australian freelance writer who has studied cross-cultural change management in China and has lived in China, traveling extensively for almost two decades. [email protected]