Chinese and foreign festivals

The problems solved are collected and reproduced in QQ space [label: Chinese and foreign festivals, articles]. Anonymous answer: 1 popularity: 1 solution time: 2010-02-2811:50 satisfactory answer: each country is in history, culture, social system and so on. Vows are similar in the way of celebrating festivals. In the eyes of China people, the most representative festival is the Spring Festival, which is also called the China New Year in China, meaning "to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year". After the Spring Festival, it means "everything is renewed" and a new year is ushered in. The most important holiday in foreigners' lives is Christmas, and most western countries are Christian countries. Most major festivals every year are related to the Christian background, such as Christmas, Easter, and the ascension of Jesus. , and the most grand is Christmas. Although the meaning of our Spring Festival is "very different" from that of foreigners' Christmas, one is a traditional custom in China, which symbolizes "saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new", and the other is a western-style festival with a strong religious background. However, these two incomparable festivals have similarities and differences in the way ordinary people in the two countries spend their holidays. We can understand the similarities and differences from the following two aspects.

First of all, the people of the two countries went shopping crazily during the holidays. As early as two or three weeks before Christmas, Norway's "purchasing army" rushed to the front. Abroad, urban and rural areas used to be quiet and peaceful. At this time, it is "uncharacteristic", the traffic on the expressway is endless, the streets and alleys of the city are bustling, and the major shopping malls and supermarkets are crowded with people. People spend money like water, buying everything from chicken, duck and fish to clothing, shoes and hats, from all kinds of Christmas tree decorations to beautifully packaged gifts. It can be said that Norwegians buy whatever they see, and their extraordinary generosity is refreshing. Seeing the scene of Norwegian shopping spree, we can't help thinking of the spectacular scene of China people spending money like water during the Spring Festival, and a feeling of deja vu arises spontaneously. Before the reform and opening-up, people in China were not rich, but after the Spring Festival, people still took out the "money between their teeth" that they could not bear to eat or use for a year. China people believe that "spring is the time of year". No matter how bitter and poor you are, you should drink and eat meat in a big bowl on New Year's Eve until you burst your belly and get drunk. Twenty years ago, what I was looking forward to most was a sumptuous pig's head meat. At that time, we often saw a sea of people on Yantai Street. People crowded into the street in the dark early in the morning, waiting in long lines and buying pig heads with tickets. In the streets and alleys of the city, big black pots are set everywhere, ready to pull out the pig's head. The pungent smell of plucking pig hair is everywhere in the city. Although it smells bad, it brings laughter, joy and uncontrollable appetite. Reform and opening up have brought benefits to the people of China. People have more money in their pockets, more goods on the market, and the taste of food is higher. Gone are the days when "a sea of people" bought pig heads and lined up to pull out pig hair. However, the shopping habits of China people during the Spring Festival have not changed. People pay more attention to high-end electrical appliances, high-end clothing, brand-name cosmetics, seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh fish and shrimp and other things that they never dared to think about in the past. China, which is not what it used to be, is not shabby in the comparison of Chinese and foreign festivals. Apart from the differences in living habits, the "New Year's Goods" purchased by Norwegians and those purchased by us in China can be "equivalent" and "equally matched". However, if you look closely, there are still some differences. For example, many things bought by foreigners in stores have the words Madein China, especially clothing, shoes, hats and craft crystals, more than 50% of which are made in China. But what we buy at home is less and less foreign goods, because there are not many things that China people can't produce by themselves. Last Christmas, I was invited to visit a Norwegian professor's house. Everyone gave each other holiday gifts, including 20 ~ 30 large and small gifts. According to Norwegian custom, when accepting gifts from others, you should open them in front of the giver to express your gratitude. I really don't know when I look at it. I was shocked at first sight. Guess why, it's almost a China trade fair. Almost all the clothes, shoes, hats, alcohol, tobacco, sugar, tea, tie, toy glassware are Made in China, and all the people present were happy at once. As a China native, I am extremely happy, extremely happy, extremely happy and extremely proud.

Second, when everyone gives gifts, everyone will receive gifts from others. At this time, the happiest thing can be said to be the children's factory, which is a "big family" that accepts gifts. Every child can receive many gifts carefully prepared by his elders. Most of these gifts are children's toys, school supplies and clothes, but sometimes you can meet generous elders and give them watches, children's bicycles and other high-end things. After the gifts were distributed, everyone sang and danced around the Christmas tree, cheering and laughing to welcome the dawn. On the surface, Norwegians treat guests and give gifts on holidays, which is no different from us in China. In fact, there are still some differences. For example, when we celebrate the New Year, the younger generation pays New Year greetings to the elders, and the elders give the younger generation "lucky money". Foreigners don't have "lucky money" at all-that is to say, under normal circumstances, foreigners only give gifts and don't give money on holidays, and so do the elders to the younger generation. Also, we China people actually want to give gifts, and the specifications and standards of gifts should be considered repeatedly according to different objects. Gifts range from alcohol, tobacco, sugar and tea to gold and silver jewelry. Of course, our guests and gifts in China mainly come from a tradition, a culture and a style. The tradition and culture of China people pay special attention to reciprocity, enhance mutual understanding and friendship, and pay special attention to "human touch". Of course, in the real society, it is not excluded that some individuals give "devious gifts" through the Chinese New Year in order to achieve their personal goals, and those corrupt elements who "abuse power for personal gain" eat and give gifts. Gifts from foreigners are mostly a symbol and a sign of etiquette. Let me give you a small example. A public school student went to his tutor's house in Norway for Christmas. Her tutor gave his wife a beautifully wrapped box. When she opened the box, she saw a small spoon in it. At that time, the lady kissed her husband in her arms, and the sound of "being good" was heard, which made China feel "exaggerated". Someone lamented: It is interesting that foreign couples are so rich in feelings, but so stingy in economy, which makes China people always feel hypocritical. As far as I am concerned, foreigners are not stingy or hypocritical, but cultural differences have caused differences in ideas. This is particularly prominent in the aspect of "treating guests". China people treat us, seven plates and eight bowls, frying and frying, eating big fish and meat, and even getting drunk. The Norwegians treat you, but "the meaning of drunkenness is not wine". In mood, atmosphere and exquisite tableware, the food itself really has nothing to compliment. When eating in a foreigner's home, light candles, spread napkins, set knives and forks, and put plates on the table. Even a formal banquet is just a lettuce salad, a main course, a dessert, plus cold drinks and coffee. There are not many kinds of dishes on the table, but the plates are often changed. I often joke with Chinese people that foreigners' banquets can only satisfy their eyes, but not their stomachs. Of course, it's a bit excessive. It's okay to eat, but it won't be like a domestic treat. You can't see a messy scene abroad.

From this point of view, China people and foreigners do have different ways to celebrate holidays, and there are differences, or it may be more accurate to describe them as "similar".