An important activity during the Spring Festival is bainian (to pay a New Year call). People start to pay New Year calls from the lunar New Year's Day, that is, the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar. Ever since the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century, ordinary people have begun to exchange greeting cards on this day.
On the morning of the lunar New Year's Day, people get up very early and call on others. The earlier one does so, the more sincere he is. Moreover, people wear new clothes and a new cap, symbolizing that a new year has begun.
The younger generation should call on their elders first, such as the grandfather, grandmother, father and mother, wishing them "Good health" and "Long life". Then the elders give children some money in a red envelope as a New Year gift. After that, people call on their relatives, friends and neighbors. As "big tangerine" is a homonym for "very lucky" in Chinese, so people often present red big tangerines as a gift while paying a New Year call.
Nowadays, besides greeting cards, people also use telephones and e-mails to pay New Year calls.
春节期间的一项重要活动就是“拜年”。从农历初一那天开始，人们互相致以“新年好”的问候。早在十四世纪的明朝，民间已出现恭贺新年的帖子了。
农历初一这天早上，人们早早起来去给人拜年。越早拜年的人就越其显诚意。此外大家纷纷穿新衣，戴新帽，以示新年新气象。
年轻人应当先去给家里的长辈拜年，比如祖父祖母，父亲母亲，祝他们“健康长寿”。接着长辈给孩子们红包作为新年礼物。然后，人们拜访邻里亲戚，亲朋好友。由于中文里的“橘子”与“吉利”谐音，所以人们在拜年时常互赠红红的大橘子以讨个吉利。
如今，除了贺年卡以外，人们还通过打电话和发电子邮件来拜年。
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