Chinese New Year's

This will be a busy weekend for me. I wanted to note a few interesting things about the events that will be taking place. On Saturday the 13, we are going to acknowledge the Chinese New Year’s Eve by cooking some of our favorite Chinese recipes. But before I do the cooking I will need to follow some of the traditions. The following one is a whooper!!

What do the Chinese believe should be done on New Year’s Eve and before every Chinese New Year?
The entire house, top to bottom must be cleaned before the Chinese New Year’s Day arrives. This year that means before Sunday Feb 14. (But hey look at it this way! You will have a clean house for both events).
On Sat. the Chinese practice their tradition by making sure all cleaning is done before Saturday (for fear all good fortune will be swept away). So make sure all your cleaning equipment is put away, and out of site. (That means Friday is cleaning day. Lol).
For millions of Asians, Chinese New Year is more than one special day. Families spend weeks preparing for the big event: cleaning house, painting doors and windows red and cooking special foods. Celebrations for Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, last a full fifteen days. Learn more about Chinese New Year, the symbolic significance of festive foods, and try New Years recipes. (Date of Chinese New Year Day: first day of the first Chinese lunar month).
What gives a certain food symbolic significance? Sometimes it is based on appearance. For example, serving a whole chicken during the Chinese New Year season symbolizes family togetherness. Noodles represent a long life; an old superstition says that it's bad luck to cut them. Both clams and Spring Rolls symbolize wealth; clams because of their resemblance to bouillon, and Spring Rolls because their shape is similar to gold bars.
I have many Chinese acquaintances, and respect their culture. If any of the aforementioned is not correct, I apologize. I tried to research the basics and reported it here as I understood it. Happy New Year’s my friends.
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
(Peace and Prosperity!)