Are you going to spend the New Year at home?
Little New Year needs to be celebrated at home, but in some places it is not required. It depends on local customs.
Where to spend the New Year depends on local customs, and there is no rule that you have to spend it at home. However, everyone needs to note that during the New Year’s Eve, everyone still has to spend it at home. There may be some people who choose to spend the Lunar New Year at other people's homes for special reasons, and some people choose to travel far away to spend the Lunar New Year at other people's homes. Generally, there are no Feng Shui taboos.
Generally when the Little New Year arrives, everyone cleans the house and worships the Kitchen God. However, there are many differences between the Little New Year in the north and the south of our country, mainly in terms of time. In the north, the small year falls on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, while in the south the small year falls on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month.
Customs of Xiaonian
1. Eating stove candies
On the day of Xiaonian, there is also the custom of eating stove candies. Zao Tang was originally an offering when offering sacrifices to the Zao. The main raw material was maltose, and another type was made by grinding glutinous rice into powder and adding caramel sugar. Because stove sugar is mostly made into a round shape, like a melon, and hollow, it is also called "sugar melon". Kitchen candy is extremely sticky and sticks to your teeth when you eat it, so it is also called "jelly gum candy". Beijing is commonly known as "Guandong sugar" because it is made according to the traditional production method of Guandong.
2. Sacrificing stoves
On Xiaonian, it is also a traditional day for people to offer sacrifices to stoves. On the day of the Little New Year, people will not only place sugar melons, pastries, etc. on the table in front of the Stove King Statue, but they will also replace the old Stove God portrait and put up a new Stove King portrait that every household "invites" them to bring back. Before and after offering sacrifices to the stove, sweep the dust and remove scale. In addition to preparing offerings before offering sacrifices to the stove, there is another important task - cleaning the kitchen. Wash the pots and pans during the day, keep the kitchen tidy, and perform the ritual of offering sacrifices to the stove in the evening.
The above content is referenced from Baidu Encyclopedia - Xiaonian