放鞭炮 Burning fireworks

　　Burning fireworks was once the most typical custom on the Spring Festival. People thought the spluttering sound could help drive away evil spirits. However, such an activity was completely or partially forbidden in big cities once the government took security, noise and pollution factors into consideration. As a replacement, some buy tapes with firecracker sounds to listen to, some break little balloons to get the sound too, while others buy firecracker handicrafts to hang in the living room.

　　The lively atmosphere not only fills every household, but permeates to streets and lanes. A series of activities such as lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, lantern festivals and temple fairs will be held for days. The Spring Festival then comes to an end when the Lantern Festival is finished.

　　China has 56 ethnic groups. Minorities celebrate their Spring Festival almost the same day as the Han people, and they have different customs.

　　燃放烟花爆竹曾是春节最典型的习俗。人们认为溅射的声音可以帮助赶走邪恶的灵魂。然而，一旦政府考虑到安全、噪音和污染因素，这样的活动在大城市是完全或部分禁止的。作为替代，一些人买磁带听爆竹的声音，一些打破小气球得到的声音，而其他人买爆竹手工艺品挂在客厅。

　　热闹的气氛不仅弥漫在每家每户，而且弥漫在大街小巷。舞狮、舞龙、元宵节、庙会等一系列活动将持续数日。当元宵节结束的时候，春节就结束了。