过年习俗源自何时很难考究，不过一般认为起源于殷商时期年头岁末祭神祭祖活动。春节是汉族最重要最隆重的传统节日。农历正月初一是一年的开始，而正月上旬或中旬，大部分情况正好是春季的开始。

　　春节联欢晚会 Spring Festival Gala / Chinese New Year Gala

　　例句：

　　Whether they watch the CCTV Spring Festival Gala or its rivals, Chinese

　　people will surely enjoy themselves on Lunar New Year's Eve.

　　无论是观看央视春晚还是观看其竞争对手的节目，中国人无疑都会尽情地享受一个快乐的除夕。

　　节日相关词汇：

　　农历 lunar calendar

　　正月 lunar January; the first month by lunar calendar

　　除夕 Lunar New Year's Eve

　　初一 the beginning of New Year

　　元宵节 the Lantern Festival

　　习俗相关词汇：

　　对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry

　　春联 Spring Festival couplets

　　剪纸 paper-cuts

　　年画 New Year paintings

　　买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival

　　食物相关词汇：

　　年糕 rice cake; New Year cake

　　团圆饭 family reunion dinner

　　年夜饭 the dinner on New Year's Eve

　　饺子 Jiao-zi; Chinese meat ravioli

　　汤圆 dumplings made of sweet rice

　　八宝饭 Chinese rice pudding

　　糖果盘 candy tray

　　糖莲子 candied lotus seed

　　花生糖 peanut candy

　　其他词汇：

　　敬酒 propose a toast

　　烟花 fireworks

　　爆竹 firecrackers

　　红包 red envelopes

　　灯谜 riddles written on lanterns

　　灯会 exhibit of lanterns

　　守岁 staying-up

　　拜年 make New Year's call

　　祭祖宗 offer sacrifices t

　　压岁钱 gift money; money given to children as a Lunar New Year gift

　　辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year

　　扫房 spring cleaning; general house-cleaning