TheLunarNewYearisagreatoccasiontotheChinesepeople.Itlastsaboutthefirstfourdaysoftheyear，duringwhichpeopledonotworkexceptfortheworkersonduty.Studentsdonotgotoschool，andshopsareclosed.
Severaldaysbeforethenewyear，peoplebegintoprepare.Farmerskillpigs，sheep，cocksandhens.Citydwellersbuymeatfishandvegetables.Housesarecleaned;coupletsarepostedonthedoors.Colourfullanternsarehungatthegate.
Ontheeveofthenewyear，eachfamilyhasitsmembersgatherdtogetherandeatsafamilyreuniondinner.AfterthemealtheywatchTVuntiltheclockstrickestwelve.Theneveryfamilysetsofflongstringsofsmallfirecrackersandotherfireworkstowelcomethenewyear.Onthefirstdayofthenewyear，almosteveryoneisdressedinhisorherbest.Whenpeoplemeetontheway，theysaytoeachother"HappyNewYear".Friendsandrelativespaynewyearcallsandgivespresentstoeachother.Childrenindulgethemselvesingames.
Anewyear，anewstart，whenIstandontheedgeofanewyear，Ican'thelpthinkingaboutmyplanofnextyear.
Justastheoldsaying：“Wellbeganisthehalfofthesuccess.”SoIdecidethatIshouldbeatworkwhiletheothersarestillrelaxing，andthen，atthebeginning，I'mquickerthantheothersandofcourseIwillgetbetterresultthantheothers.
But，whatIreallydecidetodoisthatImustmakegoodofanytimeIcansparethoughitseemsimpossible.While，IwilldomybesttoliveupwithwhatIhaveplanned，andtheresultwillproveit.
OnNewYear'sEve，ourclasshadaparty.Theatmospherewasgood.Itwasoutoftheordinaryfromtheverybegining.Theboystudentfromonebedroomgaveanunusualperformance.WesawaboynamedLiXinminturnoffallthelightsinasuddensnap.Thenwiththreeresounding(响亮的)crowofacockechoinginthehall，thehallwasagainbrightlylitinasnap.
Then，therepresentativeofthebedroomZhuGuozhangaskedustoguessalineofapoemrelatedtotheabovesituation.HeaddedthatLiXinminalonewasbornintheyearofthedogandtheotherthreewereall
bornintheyearofthechicken.Theyleftusallinconfusion.Anditwasourmonitorwhowasquickwitted(机智的).Heshoutedour，"Thedaybreaksasthecockcrowsthreetimesatdawn."ThehallAfterthat，theyhadanotheritem.ThistimeLiXinminwasplacedinthemiddleofthecircle.Whilehewasstandingthere，theotherthreestoodaroundhim，eachbowingdowntohimatanangleof120degrees.Itwasanidiom.ThistimeIgotitright："Thedogstandsoutamongagroupofchickens."
ChristmasarousesincreasingattentionyearbyyearinChina.Christmascardsbecomepopularwithstudents.PeopleholdChristmaspartiesandexchangeChristmasgirts.AlotorTVandradioprogramsaboutChristmasareon.MeanwhiletheSpringFestivalislessappealing(有吸引力的)toyoungsters.ThussomepeoplewonderwhetherChristmaswillreplacetheSpringFestival.
Thisworryisfairlyunnecessary.Why?OnereasonliesthatChristmasonlyaffectsChristians，collegestudentsandjoint-venture(合资企业)workers.AnotherreasonisthatChristmasismostlycelebratedincities.Fewpeopleincountrysideshowextremeinterestinthisexotic(带有异国情调的)festival.Bycontrast，theSpringFestivalisthemostinfluentialtraditionalfestivalineveryfamily.
Ithink，itisnaturalthatwithincreasingexchangeswiththeWest，alotofWesternholidayshavebeengraduallyintroducedintoChina.ForusChineseweshouldneverneglectorevendiscardourowntraditionalfestivals.ForcenturiesChinesehaveobservedthistraditionalholidaytowelcomethebeginningofanewyear.AndwewilltreasuretheSpringFestivalforever.