In the 1999 Spring Festival Gala, the song Go Home Often tapped into everyone’s hearts and soon became one of the most popular songs to sing. It is a miracle that the artless lyrics struck such an emotional chord among the people. The song expresses that parents’ only exception to their children is not about merit and fame but about coming back home often. All of us are like kites and home is our spool. Whether we fly much higher and farther away, home is always in our heart. And the Spring Festival is no doubt the most precious chance for Chinese citizens to go home.

But in recent years, more and more people have complained about the Spring Festival’s atmosphere being lighter than before. Here are some reasons:

1. Lack of understanding about the Spring Festival culture

What is Spring Festival’s atmosphere on Earth? It’s hard to give the definition for it is just a kind of feeling. When we are children, the atmosphere is triggered by the expectation of new clothes, tastes, firecrackers and red envelopes. After we grow up, we enjoy an atmosphere of joy and harmony from a family reunion dinner, lanterns, antithetical couplets and the Lunar New Year Fair. That is all about material. But if we don’t have a further explore the profound meaning of the Spring Festival culture, how can we have a real sense of festivity? “What is the content of the Spring Festival culture?” said Feng Jicai, a famous writer. “It can be summarized as, ‘exorcism and blessing.’” The meaning of Spring Festival contains Joy, auspice, reunion, longevity, prosperity and wealth. The largest folk festival our ancestors left behind from generation to generation is the Spring Festival. It is a festival where we express our ideals and aspirations traditionally.