It turned out that the red color； flame and exploding were what Year feared the most. And when the door of the grandmother’s house was thrown open and an old man in a red robe burst out laughing in the courtyard， the monster Year was scared out of his wits and fled helter-skelter⑥.
The next day was the 1st of the first lunar month. When people came back from their hideouts and found everything safe and sound， they were quite surprised. The old woman suddenly realized what had happened and told the villagers about the old beggar’s promise.
The villagers swarmed⑦ into the grandmother’s house， only to find that the doors were struck with red paper， the ember of a pile of bamboo were still giving out exploding sound of bang-bong in the courtyard， and a few candles were still glowing in the room...
The story was soon spread far and wide and everybody was talking about it. They concluded in the end that the old beggar was surely the celestial⑧ being who came to expel the calamities and bless the people， and that red paper， red cloth， red candles and the exploding firecracker were certainly the magic weapons to drive out the monster Year.
To celebrate the arrival of the auspiciousness⑨， the raptured villagers put on their clothes and new hats and went one after another to their relatives and friends to send their regards and congratulations. This was soon spread to the surrounding villages， and people all got to know the way to drive away the monster Year.
From then on， on each New Year’s Eve， each family stick on their doors antithetical⑩ couplets written on red paper， blow up firecrackers， keep their houses brilliantly illuminated and stay up late into the night. Early in the morning of the 1st of the first lunar month they go to their relatives and friends’ to send their regards and congratulations.
These customs are spreading far and wide and kept for generations. It becomes the most ceremonious traditional festival of the Chinese people.
① heraldv. 预示……的来临
② devourv. 吞没，吞食
③ neighv. （马）嘶
④ ruddyadj. 红润的，红色的
⑤ illuminatev. 照亮，照射
⑥ helter-skelteradv. 匆忙地；混乱地
⑦ swarmv. 蜂拥，挤满
⑧ celestialadj. 天上的，神圣的
⑨ auspiciousnessn. 吉利，吉兆
⑩ antitheticaladj. 对偶的，对立的
春节
在中国，春节是最隆重，最热闹的一个节日。对于中国人来说，春节的重要性犹如西方人的圣诞节一样。
农历的正月初一叫春节，节日的喜庆气氛要持续将近一个月，这标志着春天将要来临，故而我们称为春节。这个传统节日也是团聚的日子，无论人们在哪里，离家有多远，在春节时，都会想方设法赶回家里吃团圆饭。
春节俗称“过年”。“过”指的是度过，挨过，“年”指的是一年，年关。中国新年的由来可以追溯到几千年前。
在众多的传说中，有一个流传的最广。相传，中国古时候，有一种叫“年”的怪兽，头长触角，凶猛异常。“年”长年深居在海底，没到除夕才会爬上岸，吞食牲畜伤害人命。
因此，每到除夕这一天，村村寨寨的人们都扶老携幼逃往深山，以躲避怪兽“年”的伤害。
这年的除夕，桃花村的人们正扶老携幼上山避难，这时，从村外来了个乞讨的老人，只见他手拄拐杖，臂搭袋囊，银须飘逸，目若朗星。
由于恐慌，村民们都急着逃跑。村里人有的忙着封窗锁门，有的收拾行装，有的牵牛赶羊，到处都是人喊马嘶，一片匆忙恐慌景象。这时，谁还有心关照这位乞讨的老人。
只有村东头的一位老婆婆给了老人一些食物，并劝他快上山躲避“年”兽，那老人捋髯笑道：“婆婆若让我在家呆一夜，我一定把“年”兽撵走。
老婆婆听了很是吃惊，细细打量这位老人，见他鹤发童颜、精神矍铄、气宇不凡。可她仍然继续劝说，乞讨老人笑而不语。婆婆无奈，只好撇下家，上山避难去了。
半夜时分，“年”兽闯进村子。它发现村里气氛与往年不同：村东头老婆婆家，门贴大红纸，屋内烛火通明。“年”兽浑身一抖，怪叫了一声。
“年”兽朝婆婆家怒视片刻，随即狂叫着扑过去。将近门口时，院内突然传来“砰砰啪啪”的炸响声，“年”浑身战栗，再不敢往前凑了。
原来，“年”最怕红色、火光和炸响。这时，婆婆的家门大开，只见院内一位身披红袍的老人在哈哈大笑。“年”大惊失色，狼狈逃蹿了。
第二天是正月初一，避难回来的人们见村里安然无恙十分惊奇。这时，老婆婆才恍然大悟，赶忙向乡亲们述说了乞讨老人的许诺。
乡亲们一齐拥向老婆婆家，只见婆婆家门上贴着红纸，院里一堆未燃尽的竹子仍在“啪啪”炸响，屋内几根红腊烛还发着余光……
这个故事很快就传开了，人们纷纷谈论着这件事。他们一致认为那个乞讨的老人是天上派来驱灾除祸保佑人们的神仙。那些红纸、红布、红蜡烛还有炸响的鞭炮是驱逐“年”兽的法宝。
欣喜若狂的乡亲们为庆贺吉祥的来临，纷纷换新衣戴新帽，挨个到亲友家道喜问好。这件事很快在周围村里传开了，人们都知道了驱赶“年”兽的办法。
从此每年除夕，家家贴红对联、燃放爆竹；户户烛火通明、守更待岁。初一一大早，还要走亲串友道喜问好。
这风俗越传越广，代代流传，于是，春节就成了中国民间最隆重的传统节日。
