International Focus Magazine Vol. 3, #4 | Page 16

seen on the scene Chinese Consul New Year 2018 On February 7, 2018, H.E.Ambassador Li Qiangmin Consul General of the People’s Republic of China requested the company of many Houstonians to join him in celebration of the Chinese New 2018 at the Consulate Gen- eral- Houston. Everyone attended enjoyed tasty Chinese food and beautiful cultural clothing and dance. In China, the Chinese New Year takes place on a different date each year because it is based on the lunar calendar. New Year’s Day normally falls between January 21 and February 20. The global celebrations are an explosion of light and sound, involving bell ringing, lighting firecrackers and watching traditional lion dances. Chinese families gather together for a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, and clean their houses to sweep away bad fortune on New Year’s Day. Traditionally, kids would be given red envelopes stuffed with ‘lucky money’ and positive wishes on New Year’s Day. Some teens now have red envelope apps, so their relatives can transfer cash digitally. 16 iF Magazine | April 2018