What are the customs of the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month? What is the origin of the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month?

When I was a child, when we talked about the twelfth lunar month, it meant that the Spring Festival was approaching. However, many friends may not know that there are many customs and habits in the twelfth lunar month. So what are the customs on the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month? What is the origin of the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month?

What are the customs on the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month?

1. Light the longevity lamp

It is a custom in various places to light longevity lanterns on the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month. When the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month comes, every household will hang up a big red lantern and continue to do so until the 15th day of the first lunar month. Moreover, the lanterns will be lit every night and not extinguished until daytime. This is done to prolong the life of the family members and to keep the incense burning.

2. Eat frozen pears after meals

The 30th day of the twelfth lunar month is winter, so fruits like frozen pears are very common in the north. As long as you put the pears outside the house, they will be ready immediately. This is what we call frozen pears. Eating frozen pears after the New Year’s Eve dinner on the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month is because this kind of pear is the best at sobering up and relieving greasiness.

3. Paste New Year pictures

New Year pictures have the traditional folk functions of praying for blessings and decorating homes. New Year pictures are an ancient traditional folk art in China. They reflect the customs and beliefs of the general public and embody people's hopes for the future. New Year pictures, like Spring Festival couplets, originated from "door gods". Spring Festival couplets developed from the names of Shentu and Yulei into words, while New Year pictures continued to develop in the direction of painting.

4. Place a table

This is a temporary offering table, specially set up for New Year's Eve. Generally, families who do not have a large Buddhist temple attach particular importance to the Heaven and Earth Table, because they usually offer fewer offerings to Buddha, and at the end of the year they make a big reward to the gods and Buddhas. In addition, this table is mainly used to welcome gods.

5. Set off firecrackers

When the new year comes, every household must set off firecrackers. Setting off firecrackers can create a festive and joyful atmosphere and bring happiness and good intentions to everyone.

6. Give children Spring Festival red envelopes

Every Chinese New Year, the elders will give the children some Spring Festival red envelopes. Sui is the pronunciation of Sui. It is said that in ancient times, eight copper coins placed beside the bed helped children scare away the evil spirit, so people called this money "suppressing evil spirit money". Because the pronunciation of "祟" and "岁" is the same, it has been passed down over time and has become a Spring Festival red envelope.

The Origin of the 30th Day of the 12th Month

The last day of the twelfth lunar month of a lunar year is called "Suichu", and that night is called "New Year's Eve";

There is also a legend about the origin of New Year's Eve. According to ancient legends, our ancestors were threatened by a most ferocious beast. This kind of beast is called "Xi". It hunts animals for food. In winter, when food is scarce in the mountains, it will continue to break into the village and prey on people and livestock, making it difficult for the people to sleep and eat.

People have fought against "Xi" for many nights, and they found that Xi is afraid of three things: color, sparks, and noise. Therefore, in winter, people hang red mahogany boards on their doors, burn bonfires at the gate, and stay up all night banging and hammering. That night, "Xi" broke into the village and saw bright red and sparks in every household and heard loud noises. It was so scared that it ran back into the depths of the mountains and was afraid to go out ever since. As the night passed, everyone congratulated each other, with gongs and drums beating, drinking and feasting to celebrate the victory.