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ComparisonOfSpringFestivalandChristmasTheSpringFestivalisatraditionalfestivalincelebrationoftheChineseLunarNewYear.ItoriginatedintheShangDynastyfromthepeople'ssacrificetogodsandancestorsattheendofanoldyearandthebeginningofanewone.TheSpringFestivalfallsonthe1stdayofthe1stlunarmonth,oftenonemonthlaterthanthesolarcalendar,thencomestoanendwhentheLanternFestivalisfinished.Withthenewyearapproaching,everyfamilyisbusypreparingforthereunion.Peoplecompletelycleantheindoorsandoutdoorsoftheirhomesaswellastheirclothes,bedclothesandalltheirutensils.Menandwomengoouttodospringfestivalshopping.Thenpeoplebegindecoratingtheirroomsfeaturinganatmosphereofrejoicingandfestivity.Allthedoorpanelswillbepastedwithspringfestivalcouplets.Thecontentvariesfromhouseowners'wishesforabrightfuturetogoodluckforthenewyear.Thechinesecharacter“fu”isamust.Thecharacterputonpapercanbepastedupsidedown,forinchinesethe“reversedfu”ispronouncedas“fudaole”.What'smore,redpaper-cuttingscanbeseenonwindowglassandbrightlycolorednewyearpaintingswithauspiciousmeaningmaybeputonthewall.Inchina,peoplealwayscelebrateandspendtheSpringFestivaltogetherwiththeirparentsandchildrenathome.Nowondermanypeoplehurryhomeevenfromthousandsofmilesaway,whethertheyarelivingorworkingabroad.Thisisthetraditionhandeddownfromremoteantiquity.PeopleattachgreatimportancetoSpringFestivalEve.Atthattime,allfamilymembersenjoyeatingasmanyasover10to16coursesofdeliciousdishes.Inparticular,almosteveryfamilymakesdumplings.Afterthedinner,thewholefamilywillsittogether,chattingandwatchTV.TheSpringFestivalpartybroadcastonCCTVisessentialentertainmentforthechinesebothathomeandabroad.Accordingtocustom,eachfamilywillstayuplatetilltheclockstrikestwelve,andthentheyletoffvariousfireworksoutdoorstoseetheOldYearoffandushertheNewYearin.Thenextthreedaysaregoodtimeforrelatives,friends,classmatesaswellascolleaguestoexchangegreetings.AsthemostimportantholidayinchinaisSpringFestival,themostpopularholidayisChristmasinwestern.AlthoughnooneknowsexactlywhenJesuswasborn,christiansthroughouttheworldcelebratehisbirthdayonDecember25.ThisdatewasselectedinthefourthcenturysothatChristmaswouldreplacethepagancelebrationofthewintersolstice.Peopleusuallyhavetwoweeksforthisholiday,beginningshortlybeforechristmasandendingsoonafterNewYear.WhenChristmasaroundthecorner,westernpeoplestarttopreparefortheholidayexcitingly.Redandgreenarechristmascolor.Theydecoratehomeswithevergreens.Thewintercustomofdecoratinghomesandchurcheswithevergreensbeganinancienttimes.Branchesoffirorsprucewerethoughttobringgoodluckandguaranteethereturnofspring.Themodernamericanevergreenisusuallycoveredwithcoloredballsandstringsofcoloredlights.Thepoinsettiaplantisanotherfamiliarchristmasdecoration.Itsstar-shapedredleavesareanidealsymboloftheholiday.Inwestern,everyfamilytraditionallyhaveturkeyorham,sweetpotatoes,vegetables,andcranberrysauceonChristmasEve.Afterthisbigmeal,childrenhangstockingsbythefireplace,hopingthatSanta,afat,jollymanwearingaredsuit,redhat,andlongwhitebeard,willfillthemwithcandyandtoys.Inaddition,manyfamiliesgotochurchonChristmasEveandChristmasmorning.Afterservices,theygatheraroundthetreeandopentheirgiftsandexchangeMerryChristmasgreetingwitheachother.Thentheysitdowntoenjoyatraditionalchristmasdinner.Festival，whichreflectsthemostdelicateandrepresentativerespectofculture,istheessenceofhuman’sdailylife.SpringFestivalandChristmasarethemostimportantfestivalsinChinaandWesterncountries,whichcanbedescribedastherepresentativesofaculture,bothwithdeephistoricalculturalconnotation,andonbehalfofpeople'shopeandexpectation,itisatypicalexplorationoftheculturaldifferencesbetweentheChineseandwesternfestivals.Itisconvenienttoabsorbtheoutstandingforeignculturessensiblybysummarizingthedifferences,inordertoprotectandpromotetheculturalessenceoftheChinesenation.