Friday, January 22, 2010

We Also Have A Fantastic Selection Of Last Minute And Cheap Holidays.

By Pedro Toledo

One of the highlights of Chinese New Year are firecrackers that beautifully light up the sky. Families also enjoy the deafening pop-pop-pops of the firecrackers. Firecrackers are called "pau jeun" in Chinese, meaning exploding bamboo. Pau jeun are burned at home, for work, or for public displays. Firecrackers are used for worship and for celebration. This is why the pau jeun brings a meaning of joy or upliftment for the Chinese. Chinese New Year is also about joy and upliftment, so the pau jeun is used to celebrate it.

The Chinese New Year parade is indeed grand in every sense of the word. The young, the old, the rich and the poor crowd the streets to watch the event with excitement. The showcase of lion and dragon dances, street performers, colorful costumes, strings of fireworks, and the happy faces all make the annual parade and Chinese New Year celebration truly unforgettable.

The lion dance symbolizes the bringing in of good fortune. As the performers dance through the streets, people are also entertained by the drums and gongs. These instruments create the lively and dynamic sounds that accompany the Lion Dance. The Chinese people believe the loud drum beats awaken the legendary animal and ward off evil spirits.

The modern day firecrackers now are tubular, similar to the shape of the bamboo. Chinese firecrackers in the US come in assorted sizes and shapes. The most common firecrackers used during the Chinese New Year are the red tubes 1 inches long and are braided together with string, wrapped in transparent paper. A bundle is usually tied with 16 or 50 tubes per pack.

Common brands of Chinese New Year Firecrackers are Black Cat, Red Devil, China Doll, Mighty Mite and Zebra. Stronger versions used for public display are several ropes of firecrackers, topped with a box that can equal 15,000 sticks of fire power. These are suspended on poles high up in the air so the crowd can better see the wonderful colors contrast against the night sky.

The Ultimate Villain. If you want bad, look no further than the Devil himself. This can be as easy or elaborate as you wish. But remember to be smooth and always prone to tempting those around you. Angels are the traditional hero against Satan, but be creative and expand beyond. We all know the Devil will lose in the end. Work the evil side of you and choose a villain that's dripping with personality. You're sure to be the life (or is that death?) of the party.

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