Chinese New Year's Eve (除夕),  refers to the last day of the lunar night of the twelfth lunar month, which the Chinese New Year (first day) connected end to end.  Because the day often falls on the lunar twelfth month 29 or 30, it is also known as Chinese New Year's Eve. It is one of the most important Han Chinese traditional festivals. 

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Dinner of Chinese New Year’s Eve
Chinese New Year's Eve is extremely important for Chinese people. On this day, people ring out the Old Year and ring in the New Year, then eat the reunion dinner.

Eating New Year's Eve dinner is the most popular New Year enjoyable time for each family. On New Year’s Eve, the dinner table are filled with various dishes and family reunion, sitting around the table were happy to eat there meal on the table. There are many kind of dishes including hot dishes, cold dishes, dissert and various staple food. However, there are two general two things: hot pot and fish. The hot pot is boiling and steaming, warm and sultry, indicating prosperous future; "fish" and "surplus" are homophonic in Chinese which is a symbol of "more than auspicious", but also a metaphor for "surpluses every year." Turnips are commonly known as radish which means a good beginning in the coming year. Lobster, fish and other fried foods wish a thriving family fortune like "fire cooking oil." There are many different customs of celebrating New Year’s Eve in different parts of China, the staple food in different place various from dumplings, noodles to sweet dumplings.

The family is the foundation of Chinese society. The annual reunion dinner fully demonstrates that the Chinese clan family members love each other and this mutual respect and love also brings the relationship between the families closer together.

Reunite families often make householders get spiritual consolation and satisfaction. The elders look at dons, daughters and grandchildren while the whole family gather at the table. The care and upbringing of children in the past finally paid off which is a kind of happiness that cannot be too much praised. The younger generation are also able to take the opportunity to raise the grace to parents and express gratitude.

On New Year's Eve, people often do not sleep all night which called pernoctating. On New Year's Eve, you not only should keep both inside and outside of the house cleaning, but also need to post door-god, couplets, New Year pictures and hang lanterns.

Ancestor Worship of New Year’s Eve
In ancient times, the custom of worship ancestor are prevailing. As the customs vary from places to place, the ceremony of ancestor worship are different. Some people may worship their ancestors in outdoors while some people worship their ancestor in ancestral halls. However, most people choose to place their ancestral tablets in turn in the main hall and exhibit offerings. And then, they begin to worship their ancestor in the order of seniority.

In parts of the China, there is a custom of New Year's Eve called “Shangfen” to send in food. The time to “Shangfen” is generally in New Year's Eve afternoon. People make the dinner and send it to the front of the graves death of their loved ones, so that the death of loved ones can enjoy the New Year's Eve with the raw food together. It is a way to show their grief to the death of their loved ones.

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On New Year's Eve, people get rid of the old and welcome the New Year. And it is also a good time is for the children to learn the traditional Spring Festival and the best time to accept traditional education.