1. The origin of eating sugar melons in the New Year

Eating sugar melons is for good luck. The old man said that on the Little New Year's Day, the Stove Lord will be sent off to heaven to report the work of the past year. This day has also become a traditional stove sacrifice festival. If a family fails to sacrifice the stove to satisfy the Stove Lord, he will go to heaven to speak ill of that family. Yes, let the Jade Emperor punish them, so gradually people will choose to worship the stove on this day.

In ancient times, every house usually had a portrait of the Kitchen God near the stove, sometimes accompanied by a portrait of the Kitchen God’s grandmother. After a year of smoke and fire, the portrait became old and darkened.

The old statue should be taken off, and candies, water, beans, and mosses should be placed on the table in front of the Stove King's statue. Among them, the last three items are to prepare the Stove King's mount for ascension to heaven. They also bribe him with a sticky piece of sugar melon or cake stuck on his mouth, so that his "sweet mouth" can only say good things, that is, "God speaks good things, and returns to the palace to bring good luck."

So, eating candied melons during the Little New Year is one of the customs during the Little New Year. After the New Year, buy a new portrait and invite the Kitchen God to reply on the post.

2. The origin of eating dumplings in Xiaonian

The day of Xiaonian is also the day when the Stove Lord goes to heaven. It is said that the Stove Lord returns to heaven after staying in the world for a year and likes to beat children. Report, so on that day, we have to worship the Kitchen King and seal his mouth with kitchen sugar, and the whole family eats festive dumplings together.

It is customary to eat dumplings at New Year’s Eve in the north, which means to say goodbye to the Stove Lord, and the meaning is "send off dumplings and face the wind". When offering the offering, the dumplings should be placed neatly on the offering table. In addition, there is a saying among the people that "dumplings are not as delicious as dumplings". During the Spring Festival, dumplings have become an indispensable delicacy.

Other customs during the Little New Year:

1. Cleaning the home

In fact, it is sweeping the dust. Sweeping the dust is also called dust removal, debris removal, dusting, and dust removal. Dust, etc., is one of the traditional customs of the Chinese Spring Festival, which embodies the good wishes of the Chinese working people to ward off evil spirits, eliminate disasters, and welcome good fortune.

2. Take a clean bath.

Taking a shower 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."

3. 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 to set the table, offers incense to the Kitchen God in the shrine on the kitchen wall, and offers sacrifice fruits to the Kitchen God. After the sacrifice is completed, a The statue of "Nine Heavens East Chef Si Ming Zao Lord" was burned together with the horse tied with paper.