1 . Less than two months away from the Spring Festival, sales on travel websites start to hit a seasonal high. As the influence of Chinese New Year expands, international tourism also helps to introduce this indispensable cultural heritage to every corner of the world, which means in 2023, more Chinese people choose to spend their holidays overseas.

Big time for family trips

According to the statistics posted by Ctrip, one of the biggest platforms for travel products, the top 10 most visited countries by Chinese tourists will be Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, the United States, Malaysia, Philippines and Italy.

Over 70 percent of travelers decide to have a family vacation abroad. “The bookings on our website have risen 32 percent compared with the Spring Festival season last year. And the prices are 10 percent higher,” said Zou Qingling, outbound tourism manager of Lvmama. “Some of our packages to Europe or the US have already been fully booked.”

Flexible schedules favored

Though the holiday officially spans Feb. 4 to 10, many choose to leave their office in advance or postpone the return date. In this way, they will manage to avoid the crowds at the airports, and save a considerable sum on hotels and flight tickets.

If you haven’t planned anything yet, here is an important tip — leave before Jan. 31 or after Feb. 6. The most expensive time to travel is between Feb. 2 and 6, with an average of over 10,000 yuan per person.

Different places, same customs

Family trips pay special attention to tradition and customs, especially during the most conventional holiday in Chinese culture. Many people still believe that the Spring Festival is about family and the joy of reunion. To create a homey experience overseas, travel agencies design a variety of events including a New Year’s Eve dinner on the Nile, making dumplings at a Parisian castle, and a Chinese New Year gala at a five-star hotel in Amman. World-famous landmarks also receive a Spring Festival makeover. From Feb. 2 to Feb. 17, Universal Studios Hollywood will dress its cartoon characters in traditional Chinese costumes.

If you are one of those who want to celebrate the Spring Festival at home, enjoy your homecoming. But if you haven’t made up your mind for the moment, it’s never too late to try something new and plan a family trip abroad during the New Year.

2 . Symbol of rebirth, but also of protection, Easter eggs are a must. But what are the traditions that centre on them? Here are some curiosities from around the world.

Easter Egg Hunting in England

Among the most original rituals, the English Easter Egg Hunt deserves a place of honour. On Easter Sunday, children go hunting for eggs in parks and gardens, surrounded by people dressed up as Easter bunnies: only those who find the eggs hidden by family members will receive the surprise brought by the Easter Bunny.

Easter Egg Roll at the White House

In the United States, the annual White House Easter Egg Roll was born for the first time on April 22, 1878. A game that consists in letting the eggs slide on the grass for as long as possible without breaking them, where it’s possible to come across well-known personalities in the role of the Easter bunny.

Colourful Confetti (五彩纸屑) in Mexico

In Central America, a cheerful and unusual ritual: los cascarones. That is egg shells (壳) emptied out and filled with coloured confetti. Tissue paper sheets are used to hold the egg together, but not to worry if the result is not accurate. No one complains: this seems to be a custom brought by Marco Polo from China, where the shells were filled with spices (香料).

The Giant Omelette in France

Easter is associated with “abundance”, and the French prepare a giant omelette with over 4,500 eggs in Haux. Legend has it that Napoleon started this tradition after falling in love with the omelette in the town. It is served in the city’s main square and can feed over a thousand people.

3 . Resting her phone on a stand and making the light more suitable, 49-year-old Lyu Min started her livestreaming session — her daily job during the COVID-19 outbreak. Dressed in a qipao, a traditional Chinese dress, Lyu started the livestreaming session from her workshop at 10 in the morning, sharing the art of making Chinese knots with many handicraft (手工艺) lovers. Lyu, an inheritor (继承人) of the art of making Chinese knots, which is listed as an intangible (非物质) cultural heritage, became a livestreaming host.

“Though the sales of Chinese knots have dropped a lot, I’m still confident that I can get out of the trouble brought by the outbreak. I can make full use of this period to improve my skills and develop this traditional handicraft online,” she said. Lyu is quite new to the world of livestreaming, having bought all the necessary equipment (设备) after following her friends advice. She practises livestreaming every day and records a large number of educational videos. As face-to-face interaction is still impractical for many, even as the outbreak has been largely brought under control in China, she thinks livestreaming classes can meet more Chinese knot lovers’ needs to learn the handicraft.

She has integrated the anti-epidemic spirit into her works, expressing the determination (决心) and confidence of the Chinese people to win against the COVID-19. “I love Wuhan, where I showed my works in 2019. Chinese knots are popular among many local people, and I made lots of friends there,” Lyu said. She designed a special Chinese knot to express her thanks to the medics who were sent to support Wuhan several months ago.

She has more than 200 followers right now. There are more and more Chinese knot lovers on her online platform. She is using a length of colored string and determination to keep this traditional art of Chinese knots alive online and help more people understand the culture.

7 . Why Experiencing a New Culture Is Good for You

Often the best way to really explore a new place and culture is by spending abundant time there. A quick vacation may give you a glimpse (瞥) into your destination.     1    . These opportunities provide a support network as you adjust to new surroundings.

Dealing with culture shock

Culture shock is a response to your new surroundings when abroad that can leave you confused, anxious and feeling lonely. It generally includes frustration at how even the simplest things can be different in the new culture. The thing is though, culture shock can be seen as a problem but also as an opportunity.     2    .

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Perhaps the most obvious lesson learned with travel is the importance of language. Even just learning the basics of the local language can make getting about and making new friends easier. Trying to overcome the language barrier also teaches you about non-verbal communication. Since you can’t rely on what is being said, you learn to adapt, to people’s tone and body language. This makes you a better communicator.

Finding inspiration

    4    . In each of these creative fields you may come across new approaches or elements that you bring home with you; maybe it’s a certain combination of ingredients that you add to your cooking or a new style you adopt for your own home’s design.

Meeting new people

Meeting people and making friends while overseas is both a necessity and one of the most enjoyable aspects of the experience.     5    , which enables you to meet people that you never would have known otherwise. You may be exposed to people from different walks of life, find a similar spirit, or both at the same time.

8 . Every year on June 21st, World Music Day is commemorated in over 120 countries, including its birthplace of France, to honor both amateur and professional musicians. Citizens of a city or country are permitted and encouraged to perform music outside in their neighborhoods, public areas, and parks on Music Day. Free concerts are also held, where musicians perform for the joy of it rather than for a fee.

In the 1970s, American musician Joel Cohen, who was then working for a French radio station, came up with the idea of having musicians perform on the evening of June 21 to celebrate the start of summer. It was finally accepted by France’s Ministry of Culture in 1982. The day started in France and has since extended to countries such as Belgium, the United Kingdom and others. It’s the ideal time to learn a new instrument or listen to songs they wouldn’t ordinarily include on their playlist. Every type of musician can celebrate World Music Day with friends, family, and even strangers, whether they are young, elderly, new, or seasoned professionals. The purpose is to promote music.

It makes no difference how good you are at making music; everyone can do it. This day can be used by even the most tone-deaf folks to sing their hearts out and appreciate the beauty and power of music. Music is not only a great way to express yourself, but it may also be beneficial to your health. A song might bring back a joyful memory or make you feel energized when you listen to it.

10 . Certainly, there are many non-verbal cues that have completely different meanings in different cultures. One of the most important means of non-verbal communication in any culture is eye contact.

Eye Contact in Western Europe

On the one hand, the European customs of eye contact—especially in such countries as Spain, France and Germany—are similar to those in the United States. It is considered proper and polite to keep almost continuous eye contact with another person.     1    

On the other hand, Europeans often avoid eye contact in crowded public situations—such as while walking through a busy downtown or riding public transportation.     2     This may happen when he is interested in them and try to express his interest by making eye contact. Therefore, it is important for visitors to understand the full meanings of what they may be suggesting by returning the eye contact given by someone else.

Eye Contact in the Middle East

    3     But they do have similarities in their rules for the proper eye culture. Eye contact is much less common and considered less proper in many of these cultures than it is considered in the United States.     4     These rules are connected to religious laws. Only a short moment of eye contact would be permitted between a man and a woman, if at all.

As you can see, it is important to know what eye contact communicates before you visit a new culture.     5     Learn how to use eye contact and other body language wisely so that you are regarded as polite, and so that you can better connect with people in a culture that is foreign to you!