Here’s the complete list of Chinese holiday guides at Chinese American Family. Click through the links for collections of recipes, activities and crafts with step-by-step directions to help your family celebrate each holiday.

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Traditional Chinese Festivals

Most people associate Chinese holidays with traditional festivals like the Lantern Festival and the Hungry Ghost Festival that have been celebrated in China for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. They’re products of an ancient agrarian society, rich in customs and superstitions used to explain the unexplainable and attract the favor of the gods. Today, these traditional festivals are China’s primary cultural export, reflecting the values and practices of an entire people with traditions that are passed down among Chinese families worldwide.

Chinese State Holidays

All of China’s official state holidays have been created since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, and most within the past 25 years. From Army Day to Founding Day to Women’s Day, they glorify various elements of China’s revolutionary struggle. Though it may be easy to discount celebrations lacking the cultural tapestry of China’s traditional festivals, these government holidays are important to understanding the rhythms of contemporary life in China, inclusive of the country’s shortcomings and contradictions.

Chinese Public Holidays

Old and new collide during China’s public holidays, the dates with time off work designated by the Chinese government before the start of each year. China’s public holidays increasingly attract the world’s attention, for the mass migration of travelers during the two annual “Golden Weeks” and for the pageantry of Chinese New Year and National Day. Indeed it was only 2008 when the government granted time off for three traditional festivals, allowing travelers to return home for family reunions during the Qingming, Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn Festivals.

HT: Photo by The Baltimore Sun.