In your memory, what is the most representative of the "flavor of the New Year"?

There is no sense of ritual in life, especially during the Spring Festival. In my memory, the following ten things best represent the flavor of the year.

1. Buying New Year’s goods

When I was a child, every five or six days before the Spring Festival, my family would be busy buying New Year’s goods. They would buy a lot of meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits and cakes, etc. Enough to spend the entire Spring Festival; now, until one or two days before the Spring Festival, people will just go to the supermarket to buy some New Year's goods, not much, enough to last three or four days, and then buy after eating.

Such a change is probably due to the fact that people's living conditions are now better. They have no worries about food and clothing, there are many supermarkets, and the transportation is convenient.

2. Setting off firecrackers

In my memory, setting off firecrackers is the most festive thing, whether you set it off yourself or watch others do it. There are many kinds of firecrackers, including those that are lit directly, as well as those that are thrown, fired, fired, and fireworks. The fireworks are the most impressive. With a "chirp" sound, beautiful flowers bloomed in the night sky, gorgeous and dazzling.

Today, in order to protect the environment, people in many places rarely set off firecrackers.

3. Writing Spring Festival couplets

My grandpa loves to write Spring Festival couplets. He dips the brush in thick ink and runs it on the dark red paper. Almost done. The words between the lines not only express the blessings for the festival and the yearning for a better life, but also highlight the charm of traditional Chinese culture.

Nowadays, there are very few people who can write calligraphy, let alone write Spring Festival couplets.

4. Posting New Year pictures

On New Year’s Eve, after breakfast, the most enjoyable thing to do is to post New Year pictures. Seeing "Qin Shubao" and "Yu Chigong" standing on the door with swords in hand, I was so happy. Nowadays, every household still retains the custom of posting New Year pictures, and the content of the New Year pictures is becoming more and more rich and diverse. It is just that I feel that I can no longer find the excitement and happiness when posting New Year pictures. This is probably one of the growing pains.

5. Hanging lanterns

At that time, red lanterns made by my mother would be hung in the courtyard. They were very simple but very warm. Nowadays, if you want to see red lanterns, you can only go to supermarkets, shopping malls, tourist attractions, or along the streets. The red lanterns hung in these places are well-made and beautiful in style, but in my eyes, they are far inferior to the simple and somewhat ugly red lanterns in my memory.

6. New Year’s Eve dinner

In the past, three generations of a family sat around the table, and a table full of delicious dishes was called the most memorable New Year’s Eve dinner. Nowadays, most families still retain the custom of having New Year's Eve dinner at home, but it is difficult for family members to get together. Some families also choose to go to restaurants for New Year’s Eve dinner. Although it saves time and effort, they always feel that something is missing.

7. Watching the Spring Festival Gala

Once upon a time, watching the Spring Festival Gala was a must-have program for every Chinese family on New Year’s Eve. The family sat around in front of the TV, eating melon seeds and chatting. , it's fun.

Nowadays, watching the Spring Festival Gala is just one of many options and is optional. People feel that the Spring Festival Gala is getting more and more ugly. First, because people's appreciation level is constantly improving. Second, technology is becoming increasingly developed. There are more and more entertainment projects during the New Year. You can play cards with family and friends, or you can hide in your room and play games. , you can also swipe your phone to grab red envelopes, and you can even go to the cinema to watch movies, etc. Treat the Spring Festival Gala like an ordinary TV program. Turn on the replay the next day and watch as much as you like.

8. New Year's money

When it comes to New Year's money, there is always a hint of sadness, because the age of asking parents or elders for New Year's money has passed. Sometimes, I have to give New Year's money to those naughty children of my relatives. Even among young parents, many people now no longer pay attention to giving new year's money to their children, because their children usually have a lot of pocket money, and they will not deliberately give it on the Spring Festival. However, the older generation still considers paying new year's money to their grandchildren as a "key project" during the New Year.

9. Visiting temple fairs

Temple fairs are a traditional custom for Chinese people to celebrate the Spring Festival and are also one of the most interesting places to go. Once upon a time, there were many people visiting temple fairs, and they were crowded together, but people did not feel crowded, let alone tired. Instead, they enjoyed it and visited one house after another.

Nowadays, the appeal of visiting temple fairs is getting smaller and smaller, and there are fewer and fewer temple fairs. Most of them are elderly people or parents with children. They occasionally visit temple fairs during the Chinese New Year, but they usually get tired after only half of the visit. In fact, it's not tiredness, it's just a lack of interest.

10. List of relatives

I once thought about a question: Why do people have those relatives? We don't see each other on weekdays, and we may not be able to help much when we have difficulties. We have to visit each other once every Spring Festival. In people's lives, the people they meet the most are family, friends and colleagues, but during the important Spring Festival, they always go to visit relatives.

No, before the Spring Festival, many people are racking their brains, thinking about how to face the "soul triple attack" from relatives: How much is the salary? Have you bought a house? Have you found someone? In order to avoid these three attacks, many young people have come up with a clever trick: not to visit relatives.

The New Year is here in the Year of the Rabbit, and your mood is infinitely wonderful; happiness knocks on the door, and celebration surrounds you; good luck runs with you, and happiness smiles at you; health embraces you, and I wish you good health; in the new year, I wish you good health. Have a happy life and everything goes well!