天南海北的小伙伴聊年俗,看完你一定会更爱国……

除夕，我们一群晚辈要叩拜尊长，也叫"辞岁"。

On the eve of the Spring Festival, we younger generations "kowtowed" to the seniors showing respect. 

除夕最甜美的记忆与已去世的奶奶有关。

My late grandma remains part of my best memory for the last day of each last lunar month. 

小时候，她总让我将芝麻秸从院内屋门口一直铺到大门，家人出入，踩踏上面，嘎嘎作响，这叫"踩岁"，寓踩去旧岁迎新岁。

She asked me to put on the ground dried sesame straw, which would stretch across the court yard from the house door to the inner gate. The whole family could thus step on the crispy straw, a symbol that we were saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming in the New Year.

当然，除夕的高潮是年夜饭后长辈发"压岁钱"！

The most exciting moment of the annual evenings was when the seniors presented "luck money" to the children after the midnight supper.

我对于年的记忆，是从年二十九贴"吊钱儿"开始的。

I didn't have any idea of the Spring Festival as a child until I was struck by the Tianjin-style paper-cutting art work. 

"吊钱儿"贴在窗玻璃或横棱上，风一吹，下面的流苏就会随风飘舞，意在把祝福、金钱一起吹进门窗里。

On 29th of the last lunar month, my family members pasted on windows or window frames the paper-cuts, the lower parts of which – like tassels – would wave in the wind and thus send out the message that the wind was blowing in good wishes as well as money. 

初五之前，每天睁开双眼，最先看到的就是这些花花绿绿的吊钱儿，这就是年的感觉！

Over the next few days until the 5th day of the first lunar month, these colorful paper-cuts would always be the first thing I saw as I woke up in the morning, reminding me to enjoy the happy festival.

津味民俗的首个关键词就是吊钱儿。吊钱儿，源于剪纸艺术，用一张长方形的红纸剪成花纹图案，并写有"恭喜发财"之类的吉祥语，其下部形似流苏。吊钱儿与"掉钱"谐音，寄托了人们希望来年财源滚滚的愿望。

姥姥的娘家是渔民，在烟台。

My grandma grew up in a fishing village in Yantai. 

去年正月十三回去刚好赶上渔灯节祭海神，每家都开着小皮卡前往海边，车头放着猪头或是自家打的最大的鱼，车上还载着用红木食盒装好的各色祭品及鞭炮。

I happened to witness the local Fishing Lantern Festival – a ritual for sea gods– when I visited the village last Spring Festival. On the 13th day of the 1st lunar month, each family drove a compact pickup loaded with sacrifices and firecrackers toward the seaside. The major sacrificial offering, usually a pig's head or the largest fish they had ever fished, was placed on the front of the truck. Other sacrifices were put inside a red wooden box. 

到了海边，各家敲锣打鼓，把祭品抬上船头，放起鞭炮，向海神祈祷来年风调雨顺。

At the seaside, each family would carry the sacrifices to the bow of their boat while beating drums and gongs. With the firecrackers exploding, fishermen prayed to the sea gods for good luck in the year ahead.

"渔灯节"是山东沿海渔民特有的海神祭祀活动，距今已有500多年的历史，流传于初旺、芦洋、八角等十几个渔村，现为国家级非物质文化遗产。"渔灯节"期间，渔民除了祭祀海神外，还会在庙前搭台唱戏，在港口码头举行扭秧歌、舞龙等活动。

我家在泰安新泰，农历11月份就开始摊煎饼备年了。

My hometown was located in Xintai, Tai'an, in Shandong. It was 2 months before the Lunar New Year that people there began preparing food for the festival by making pancakes, a local staple. 

煎饼是我们那里的主食，它真是神奇的食品，保存一两个月也照样好吃。

I have to say the pancakes were quite amazing, because they remained tasty even if they had been kept for 1 or 2 months. 

进入腊月，各家开始磨面磨米蒸馒头。

In the last lunar month, the local households began making steamed bread after milling flour and rice. 

家里养牲畜的，还会杀猪宰羊，然后给亲戚朋友分一分。

Some families would butcher their livestock and then present the pork or lamb to their friends and relatives as a gift.

生旺火是最具我们雁北特色的春节习俗。

Making a "flourishing fire" is a Spring Festival custom typically representing those living in north of the Yanmenguan in Shanxi.

每逢春节，每家都要在院里用煤炭垒一个中空塔状结构的"旺火"，碳量至少要保证从三十晚上燃到初一，当然谁家旺火垒得结构越好，就会烧得越久越旺，便预示着来年运气越好。

Each family would pile up a hollow tower made of coal in the yard, days before the annual Spring Festival. The amount of coal was supposed to guarantee the fire would last from the Lunar New Year's Eve to the first day of the Lunar New Year. The longer the fire lasted, the luckier it was predicted that the family would be in the coming year.

冬夜，全家老小围着烤旺火，说说当年的趣事和来年的愿望，扔一些糖果到旺火里，给旺气加些甜蜜，或者就着旺火烤个馍烤个山药蛋，哈哈，幸福之极！

It was happy enough on a cold night to have the whole family sitting together around a "flourishing fire", recalling funny anecdotes from the past year and making wishes for the year ahead. And we occasionally flung some candies on to the fire – in the hope of making the fire sweeter – or roasted on the fire some steamed bread and yams. It was the happiest life imaginable.

山西盛产煤，煤的作用远在古代就已渗透到风俗民情之中，其中生旺火就是山西北部地区的一种风俗习惯。如今，当地人不仅过年生旺火，遇到婚丧或重大节日时都会生旺火。据称，为了达到一年胜似一年的寓意，垒砌旺火要求逐年增高。

记忆中，每个除夕我都会和爷爷奶奶及爸妈一起守岁，爸爸说，晚辈坚持这一传统，可以延长爷爷奶奶的寿命。

I didn't spend a Spring Festival Eve without staying up with both my parents and grandparents. Father said my grandparents would live a long life if the younger generations insisted on the practice of sitting up for the Lunar New Year.

零点时分，我们全家会一起吃饺子，其中一个饺子里包裹了硬币，寓来年鸿运当头，不管谁吃到它，全家人都会很高兴！

 At midnight, the whole family would eat dumplings, one of which always had a wrapped coin inside, thus symbolizing good luck in the coming year. The whole family members would rejoice in the happiness, no matter who got the only money-dumpling.

在北方，家家户户过年都要吃饺子，不过，饺子里有关寓意幸福的学问大着呢！比如，有的地方会在饺子里放硬币，寓财源滚滚；有的地方放花生米，寓一生幸福；有的地方放鱼肉，寓年年有余；有的地方放面条，寓长命百岁。

我家在东北农村，腊八节妈妈通常做粘豆包。

I was born in a northeastern village. My mother was always making glutinous steamed buns stuffed with sweetened red beans during the Laba Festival, which falls on the 8th day of the last lunar month. 

白的粘玉米粉，黄的大黄米粉，红豆沙馅，香浓的玫瑰酱（用野玫瑰花的花瓣和白砂糖腌制）。

The white buns were made from white glutinous milled corn, while the yellow buns were made from milled millet. The stuffing inside consisted of red beans and wild rose mixed with white sugar. 

妈妈将豆包包好、码放在案板上，放到室外冻得杠杠的，一个个敲下来包装好，放进院子里面的储物缸，要吃时拿出来一蒸，哈哈，想想都流口水。

Mother put the uncooked stuffed buns onto the chopping board, and then placed them outside to freeze. The frozen buns would be wrapped up and put into a jar in the yard. We steamed the frozen buns whenever we wanted to eat them hot. My mouth still waters when I think of this.

我的家乡在陕西宝鸡，俗话说"过了腊八就是年"，所以腊八吃过腊八粥后，我们就开始打扫屋子。

My hometown was located in Baoji, Shaanxi. My family members began cleaning the house after eating the traditional porridge on the Laba Festival (the 8th day of the last lunar month), as the old saying goes that the Spring Festival essentially comes after Laba.

农村也要在腊月二十三备糖瓜粘等祭品，恭送灶王爷上天；年二十九前蒸老鼠样子的馍馍，祭拜祖先。

In rural areas, people would prepare sacrifices including sweet sticky snacks on the 23rd day of the last lunar month, the day they believed the Kitchen God would report on worldly issues to the Heavenly Godfather. And prior to the 29th day, each household would make steamed buns in the form of rats, which were used to worship ancestors.

我们有闹社火的习俗，如太平鼓、跑旱船、花担子等都是极具特色的社火节目。

We had traditional local Spring Festival celebrations called Shehuo shows, which included the Taiping (Peace) Drum Dancing, boat dances and bridal sedan chair lifting. 

我想着重讲下太平鼓，它如今已成为兰州的一张文化名片。

I'd like to dwell on the Taiping Drum Dancing, and it has already become a cultural icon embodying Lanzhou. 

春节期间，兰州市各县区的太平鼓代表队都会齐聚省城，盛装演出。鼓手们整齐划一地挥动着鼓鞭击打鼓面，鼓声惊天动地。

During the Spring Festival, drum dancers representing differing counties would assemble in Lanzhou. Dressed in Sunday clothes, they beat the drums in perfect unison.

老人们说，太平鼓能驱邪并保天下太平。

 The elders said the drums were beaten loudly enough to ward off evil and protect the world in peace. 

在我印象中，过年最特别的有两件事：一是每年除夕晚上，我们都要准备一桌菜，点燃红蜡烛来祭拜祖先。

As far as I remember, it is customary for us to worship our ancestors on Lunar New Year's Eve by offering a multi-dish dinner and burning red candles. 

还有一件特别的事是大年初一那天，我们乘船去舅爷家拜年。绍兴是一座水乡，船是很重要的交通工具，乘着叔叔的船，看着沿途的风景，别有一番风味。

On the next day, we would visit our grand uncle by boat, since Shaoxing, the City of Boats, is known for its numerous waterways. Floating on my uncle's boat down the scenic river was simply wonderful.

在浙江，最有特色的民俗活动之一，要数绍兴的"祝福"了。祝福，俗称"请大菩萨"，起源于宋元时期。每年农历廿三到廿八之间，人们会选择"宜祭祀"的日子，举行年终最隆重的祝福大典，祈求来年风调雨顺、国泰民安。祝福之前，必须把厅堂、祭桌、祭器等惮扫、洗刷得干干净净。"五牲福礼"煮好后，盛放在木制的朱漆大盘里。男丁按辈份行三跪九叩大礼，妇女和个别忌生肖的男丁都要回避。

当然，江南的春节也少不了温婉的粼粼水声。东湖的"乌篷社戏"一直被视为最具江南味的亮点。正月里，坐在悠然漂浮于东湖之上的乌篷里，观一眼水石盛景，听一曲水乡社戏，品一口黄酒，最能体验地道的水乡风情。

我的家乡在浙江台州的一个小乡村，每年过年前，村里的妇女们都要洗粽叶，包粽子。到了过年走亲戚的时候，我们都把粽子拿出来招待客人。大年初一的早饭总是家里的男人熬制美味的五味粥。

My hometown is a small village in Taizhou, Zhejiang. Before the Spring Festival, women in our village would wash reed leaves to make zongzi, a pyramid-shaped dumpling often served to guests during the holiday period. The breakfast on Lunar New Year's Day would usually be "wuwei " porridge, made by the men in the family using schizandra berries.

在闽南老家，除夕夜，家家户户都会做道菜——"长命菜"。

In my birthplace - south of Fujian - nearly every household makes a special dish on Lunar New Year's Eve using mustard leaves as an indicator of longevity.

长命菜由芥菜做成，切得很长很长，用以祈求健康长寿。

The raw vegetable is sliced as long as possible to indicate along, healthy life. 

正月初一早晨，每个人吃一碗面线糊加2个鸡蛋。面线是一种细长的面食，寓意为"福寿延年"。2个蛋代表好事成双，寓意好运。

On the morning of Lunar New Year's Day, everyone eats a bowl of noodles (whose long thin strips suggest a happy, long life) with two eggs ("good things come in pairs").

然后亲友互访，在其家门口，要先放一串鞭炮，再进门，代表开门红！

Each visit by relatives and friends is marked by an outdoor fireworks display thought to bring good luck for the year ahead.

对于不少福建人来说，"长命菜"是过年必不可少的一道菜。年三十那天，人们会把鸡和猪肉整只、整块地放进锅中煮。煮熟后，在滚烫的汤中投入洗净的、经霜的又嫩又大的芥菜，芥菜不能切碎，要用文火慢慢煮。当芥菜飘香、热气腾腾时就可起锅。

芥菜易活、个大、粗放。与肉食同煮可尽吸油腻，食之细嫩滑爽，芳香滋润。或许"辛苦一年，指望过年"的福建乡民们，咀嚼甜滑可口的"长命菜"，也就闻到了浓浓的年味，感受到了生活的温馨，看到了新年的希望。

福州有句老话: "好囝不赚卅暝晡"(好孩子不赚大年三十晚上的钱)。

There is an old saying in Fuzhou, "A good lad does no business on Lunar New Year's Eve." 

意指即使远行经商、打工的福州人，在除夕(卅暝晡)前一定会返家过年，阖家团圆。

It means that migrant business men and workers, no matter how far away they may have traveled, are expected to return home and reaffirm the love that binds them together as a family.

福州人相当重视"年饭"，除夕晚不能走家串门，要全家聚在一起，"人不齐不开饭"。

Fuzhou people value the reunion dinner so much that they require all family members to stay at home on Lunar New Year's Eve, and the dinner is not served until everyone is present.

小时候生活在湖南湖北交界地方，过年时要炖整个猪头，还要用炖的汤浇水果树，口中念念有词，明年多长大水果。

In my early years living near the border between Hunan and Hubei, we would make New Year' s stews using a whole pig's head. The liquid from the stews was used to water fruit trees and we would say a prayer: "G row lot s of big fruit s next year!" 

团年饭一定要十大碗菜以上，吃不完的留到正月吃。

The reunion dinner consisted of more than 10 courses and could last us for days.

吃完年饭就是小朋友放鞭炮、串门时间了，还有莲花闹、鱼骨筒，现在想起来那才真正有年味！

 After the dinner, children would enjoy fireworks and run from door to door to visit neighbors. There were also performances of Lianhuanao opera and Yugutong storytelling. How interesting the New Year celebrations used to be!

我老家是湖南邵阳的，以前过年正月的时候，大家会齐聚一起，拿条长龙到附近村子每户开门的人家前去舞弄，道个好，祝个福，而主人家就会回一些饼啊糍粑啊什么的礼物，特别热闹，很有过年的气氛。

I was born in Shaoyang, Hunan. In my memory, people in our village used to perform t he dragon dance during the first lunar month of the New Year. Happy dancers spun their way into households in nearby villages, extending greetings and well wishes. House owners would express their appreciation by giving dancers flour or glutinous rice cakes in a warm and lively celebratory mood. 

按旧俗，在湖南湘潭一带，从正月初一到十五，人们会舞龙灯迎接新年。舞龙灯先要"接龙"。即挨家挨户发请帖，凡是接了请帖的人家，舞者就依次进屋去舞灯以示祝福。起舞时，鼓起龙随，灯游龙卷，令人目不暇接。

在我的家乡——广东汕头农村地区，年节方式跟北方大相径庭。

The way we welcome the Spring Festival in rural areas in Shantou, Guangdong, is quite different from North China.

每个乡村几乎都有自己的特色：鹦哥舞，狮头鹅舞，蜈蚣舞，赛大猪等等精彩纷呈。

Almost every village has its own interesting customs, such as a parrot dance, lion-headed goose dance, centipede dance and pig race.

最令人印象深刻的是"拜老爷"(拜神)，几乎从初一到十五，家乡都弥漫着烧香祭祀淡淡的檀香味。那时的回忆幸福、充实、悠远。

What is most impressive is the Buddha worship that lasts from the first day of the Lunar New Year to Lantern Festival. The celebration suffuses my hometown with the smell of sandal wood, creating a happy and fulfilling memory.

据资料记载，潮汕地区极具特色的蜈蚣舞，首创于清光绪年间。艺人们用硬、软28节布框制作出可供舞蹈的蜈蚣躯壳，尾部呈剪刀形。表演时，可登场人数逾200人。偌大的蜈蚣俯仰穿梭，摇摆自如，气势磅礴。

"赛大猪"则是一种民间庆丰年的仪式。数百头被当作供品的肥猪被摆在木架上，一式高昂着头部，嘴里塞着大桔，张口，作奔跃状，远远望去一片雪白，蔚为壮观。每年赛大猪都会决出最大的一头，一般都有上千斤左右。

清远的瑶族人过春节，有一项别致风趣的活动"耕作戏"，由一人扮牛，一人扮扶犁的农夫，一人扮荷锄农夫，三人载歌载舞。表演完后，青年男女纵情歌舞。

The Yao ethnic group living in Qingyuan has a unique, funny activity during the Spring Festival called "farming opera" performed by three people. One person pretends to be an ox, the second plays a ploughman and the other plays a farmer with a hoe. The three sing and dance, attracting more young people to join them.

歌舞中姑娘们如果看中意中人，就把自己精心绣制的花带或自己戴的银饰，挂在小伙子腰间以示爱慕。

During the process, if a girl falls in love with a man, she would attach a self-embroidered belt or a silver ornament to his waist.

我是客家人，家居客家摇篮——赣州。

I am a Hakka person living in Ganzhou, the Cradle of Hakka.

每冬至一过，家家户户就开始忙着自制年货，灌香肠，晒板鸭，蒸鱼丝，打年糕，冻米糖，炸印花米果等年味十足的客家风味。

Soon after the winter solstice passes, households would start preparing our special cuisine for the Spring Festival, which includes sausages, salted ducks, steamed fish slices, glutinous rice cakes, candied rice puffs, and deep-fried rice crackers. 

每到大年三十这天，家家户户都忙着炸鱼饼，炸肉丸，红烧梅干菜扣肉，香菇加鱼饼炖鸡汤，而且一定是公鸡喔！这是客家人年夜饭都会有的几道菜！

On Lunar New Year's Eve, we would make several more must-have New Year's dishes, including deep-fried fish cakes and meat balls, stewed pork with dried vegetables, and rooster soup with mushrooms and fish meat.

大年初一就是贴春联，敬灶神，给同堂的爷爷奶奶和叔伯婶娘拜年，大家难得团聚在一起，真是其乐融融！

On Lunar New Year's Day we decorate doors with couplets, pay tribute to the Kitchen God, and greet senior family members, enjoying the rare occasion to be together. 

大年初二开始走亲戚拜大年，可以品尝到各家味道不一的腊货和米果，一饱口福！

The next day we start visiting relatives and sample food made by other households.

正月十五闹完花灯，尝到香喷喷的擂茶，才算把年过完！

On the 15th day of the month, thousands of colorful lanterns will be hung out for people to appreciate. At that time we would drink aromatic powdered tea and bring the celebrations to an end.

北方的亲们过年都只是一大盘饺子，与南方比起来可真简单多啦。

I heard people there eat dumplings during that time. What we have herein the south is much more sophisticated than just dumplings! 

大年三十那天，全家人需要忙活一天准备年夜饭。鸡鸭鱼肉，蛋卷，豆腐圆等等都是我们家乡年夜饭桌上必不可少的菜肴。

On Lunar New Year's Eve, the whole family would spend a day preparing the reunion meal. The must-have foods in my home include chicken, ducks, fish, pork, egg rolls and tofu balls. 

除了菜肴，我们还自己炒米花，炸麻旦等等！

In addition, we also make puffed rice and fried glutinous rice balls as snacks. 

在广西，豆腐圆寓意着团圆和睦，是节日家族聚会必须有的一道菜。粘稠的豆腐浆裹上香喷喷的生猪瘦肉、鱼肉、花生，握成团，放进油锅煎成金黄色，非常美味。