a bit more info on Chinese New Year
Why Is Chinese New Year on the Date It Is?Like Christmas/New Year in other countries, Chinese New Year is simply a much-needed winter holiday at an auspicious time.
Rest Before a New Farming Year
Chinese New Year was set to coincide with the slack time just before a new year of farm work begins, as a time of preparation.
When most Chinese were farmers this made sense. Now 55% of China's population is urban (a generation ago it was 25%), but 100+ million return to their rural roots for CNY.
Chinese traditionally celebrated the start of a new year of farm work, and wished/prayed for a good harvest. This has now evolved into celebrating the start of a new business year and wishing for profits and success in various vocations.
The Traditional 'Start of Spring'China's traditional solar calendar's first solar term is called 'Start of Spring', hence the "Spring Festival" — another name for Chinese New Year.
'Start of Spring' precedes the start of spring weather for much of China, starting about February 5, and the lunar calendar year always starts within half a month of that.
http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/festivals/spring-festival/chinese-zodiac-years-of-2011-to-2020.htm The preparation starts seven days before the Chinese New Year's Eve, and the holiday celebration will last to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Following a day-by-day guide, Chinese people have different things to do on each day. Among these days, the Eve and the first day are the peak time, when people will have big dinners and set off fireworks.
Before the Spring Festival, every family will have a thorough house cleanup and go for festival items shopping. The spring couplets, Fu Character, and animal paper cut are pasted for decoration. Also, new clothes must be bought, especially for children. At the reunion dinner on Lunar New Year's Eve, people from north will eat dumplings, which southern people are used to have Niangao (glutinous rice cake). Red Envelopes are given to kids and elders to share the blessing.
New practices and activities take place as some old traditions fade away. The train and bus tickets can be scarcely purchased during the Spring Festival Travel Rush; newlyweds squabble over whose home to go; bachelors are so anxious and stressed that they rent a fake girlfriend home; socializing by phones are highly welcomed.
At the start of a Lunar New Year, Chinese people will take their daily practices as predictive signs for the coming year. Many bad words like "death", "broken", "killing", "ghost" and "illness" or "sickness" are forbidden during conversations. Crying, washing, lending and taking medicine are also considered unlucky.
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/spring-festival.htm kind of funny.. in the West we think "Spring" is associated with the equinox in March. now I understand the "why" of the time of Chinese New Year. my wife & family thataway started their preparations many days ago. they will have a number of visitors visiting.. the longer distance relatives staying many days at the rural farm in Fushun.
I was always told that HongKong is THE place to be, but I have re- arranged my brain's furniture. I think the whole of China must be a helluva party.
I think the mention of +100mil China people on the go is grossly understated. I am thinking here in America, we have that number, probably more, people on the go at Christmas time.
maybe someone can correct this for us.
Willy, 1 billion? 
