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Q: How do the Chinese New Year celebrations compare to your country/what you're used to?
Shanghai is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL tonight! I have never seen such beautiful fireworks displays! I'm South African, the World Cup celebrations were gorgeous and stuff, but concentrated in specific areas (granted, we have laws about fireworks in residential areas etc). New Year's celebrations are big in SA but honestly, nothing compared to what i am seeing right now! Loving it! 
There are a lot of similarities and also, many differences.
For example, for the similarities, the purpose of the gathering is the same, to wait for the arrival of a new year. Many celebrate with a dinner and a party afterwards, and in some western cultures you eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, one per bell, and have a toast with champagne after the arrival of the new year. There are a lot of noise making trinklets in the hands of the merrymakers, and many will dress up for the occassion. Some fireworks and firecrackers are used, but some also discharge firearms into the air, depending on where you live.
Of course, many things you see in China you will not see abroad. For example, what is consider to be a family unit is different, and many do not travel during those days to be with family as they do here. Also, there, family members do hug and kiss eachother after the arrival pof the ne year, wishing eachother peace, prosperity and happiness. There, mostly it is a one course meal, here there are many different dishes to sample from.
I will alson dare to say that while abroad is just a celebration, that last a few hours, and it is over with, here in China is almost one month long, with different activities to be done each day, and full of customs, traditions and superstitions.
