1. Xiaonian, usually refers to the days of sweeping dust and worshiping stoves, and is regarded as the beginning of the "busy year". Due to different customs in the north and south, the days known as "Little New Year" are also different. Traditionally, the Small New Year (the day for sweeping dust and offering sacrifices to kitchen stoves) falls on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. In most parts of the south, the tradition of celebrating the Small New Year on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month is still maintained. Before the middle of the Qing Dynasty, the northern region also celebrated the off-year on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. From the middle to the late Qing Dynasty, the emperor's family held a ceremony to worship the sky on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month. In order to "save expenses", they also worshiped the Kitchen God. People in the northern region also celebrate the Little New Year on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month one day early.

2. "Little Year" has different concepts and dates in various places. In the north, it is the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and in most areas of the south, it is the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. In Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, "the twenty-fourth of the twelfth lunar month" and "The night before New Year's Eve" is called Xiaonian. In Nanjing, the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month is called Xiaonian. In some areas of Yunnan, the Xiaonian date is on the 16th day of the first lunar month. In some areas in the southwest and north, the Xiaonian date is New Year's Eve.

3. Customs:

Eat kitchen candy: Kitchen candy, also called Guandong candy, is a kind of maltose that is very sticky. Eating kitchen candies is one of the folk customs that kicks off the festive Spring Festival every year during the off-year period. It means that the "Kitchen Lord" speaks good things to heaven and ensures peace in the lower world, which is a good wish of the working people.

Cleaning the house: In fact, it means sweeping the dust. Sweeping the dust is also called dust removal, removal of debris, dusting, dusting, etc. It is one of the traditional customs of the Chinese Spring Festival and is a kind of ward off evil spirits that is entrusted to the Chinese working people. Good wishes to eliminate disasters and welcome good fortune.

Eating dumplings and rice cakes: It is customary to eat dumplings at New Year’s Eve in the north, which means to send off the Stove Lord, which means “sending dumplings to windward noodles”. Eating rice cakes on New Year's Day in the South means that people's work and life are improving year by year.

Take a clean bath: Taking a bath before the New Year is to put on new clothes and visit relatives during the New Year. There is a folk saying, "If you have money but no money, you can shave your head to celebrate the New Year."

Set off firecrackers and burn yellow paper to send gifts to the Kitchen God: It is held at dusk when night falls. The family first goes to the kitchen room to set up a table, offer incense to the Kitchen God in the shrine on the kitchen wall, and offer sacrifice fruits to the Kitchen God. , the sacrifice is completed, and then the statue of "Nine Heavens East Chef Si Ming Zao Lord" that has been posted for a year is burned together with the horse tied with paper.