Spring Festival survival tips for foreigners

Editor's note: As Chinese New Year is around the corner, foreign readers share their tips on how to spend the festival here in China. You're welcome to add your suggestions.

1. Don't travel during the holidays.

"DO NOT travel during the holidays" is one golden rule that I have followed for years, especially during Spring Festival as the traffic is heavy.

2. Enjoy the dinner on New Year's Eve with Chinese families.

If in China, I always spend Spring Festival with a Chinese family, eating dumplings, laughing, joking. I love the Chinese and there are no other people I would rather spend my time with.

3. Don't forget the hongbao.

"Digital Hongbao" is more popular than traditional ones. People use QQ and WeChat to give hongbao instead of the traditional red envelope.

4. Set off fireworks

I really love to watch them; for some reason they make me feel so excited and happy! I'm really glad I'm here in China for Chinese New Year, I've never seen so many fireworks in my life! I do wish people would be more careful, especially with their children. I saw some kids playing very close to some fireworks that were going off. And I saw some here and there bouncing off buildings & cars.

5. Watch the Spring Festival gala

While I don't understand Chinese, the show itself was very good. I was quite impressed. The CCTV Spring Festival Gala is one of the most amazing TV shows from an artistic point of view.

6. Go to the temple fair

I went to a temple fair and enjoyed some snack food, which was nice for the first couple minutes until my hands started freezing (eating outside) and I could no longer manipulate my chopsticks - my fingers were getting numb. I was afraid people would see me and think "look at that foreigner, can't use chopsticks, haha".