農曆新年
說到過舊曆年，相信許多老一輩的人都會感嘆：台灣的「年味」越來越淡薄了！記得小時候過年，最期待的除了新衣新帽及紅包，還有一家子老老少少圍爐、擲骰子的熱鬧感。那時到處都有人放鞭炮，而且無論在哪個角落，都會聽到那「恭喜恭喜恭喜你呀」的新年歌。

現在則不同了。鞭炮不一定要放，大掃除不一定要自己掃，拜年不一定要親自登門，「團圓飯」不一定要在家裡吃，連「年」都不一定要在家過！
不過「新式的舊曆年」也未嘗不好，因為少了鞭炮聲，耳根至少清靜些；有了「鐘點清潔服務」，至少媽媽們不用為了掃除而累得半死；不用買見面禮，手機簡訊拜年既經濟又實惠；團圓飯在大飯店吃，既促進台灣經濟活動，又省掉婆婆媽媽的辛勞，實在一舉兩得！


Lunar New Year Holidays
Taiwanese people are very fortunate in that they can celebrate New Year’s Day twice a year, at both the Gregorian New Year and the Lunar New Year. In the past, very few Taiwanese celebrated the Gregorian New Year by staying up late on December 31 to count down to the New Year.
On the other hand, the Lunar New Year has been celebrated much more: couplets are seen on every door, and firecrackers are set off everywhere. New clothes and hats are also worn at this time of year. On Chinese New Year’s Eve, all the members of the family gather to enjoy a reunion dinner, while red envelopes are given by the elders to the young ones. Children are told to utter auspicious words. Also, everyone gathers around to stay up late to welcome in the New Year.
However, as we enter the millennium, Taiwanese, who are enthusiastic by nature, are starting to celebrate the Gregorian New Year in frenzied excitement along with the rest of the world. The spirit of the Lunar New Year, on the contrary, is growing dimmer every year. Who knows—maybe in the coming years, our children and grandchildren may think that the true essence of the “New Year’s Eve Party” is staying up late to bring in the new year, and that the deafening sounds of cheering and the colorful display of fireworks at the party are produced to scare away a monster known as “Nian” of the Gregorian year!


農曆新年
幸福的台灣人每年可以過兩次新年：新曆年及舊曆年。過去很少台灣人會在12月31日的晚上熬夜不睡，迎接新曆年。

相反的，舊曆年則大大慶祝：家家戶戶貼春聯、放鞭炮、穿新衣、戴新帽。除夕時，全家會吃團圓飯，大人會發紅包給小孩子，小孩子則必須講吉祥話，然後大家聚在一起守歲，迎接新的一年到來。

不過自從千禧年以後，天性熱情的台灣人開始跟著全世界一起瘋狂慶祝新曆年。舊曆年的氣氛反而一年比一年淡薄。誰知道？或許多年後，我們的子孫會以為新曆年的「跨年晚會」是為了守歲，而晚會上震耳欲聾的人群歡呼聲及五光十色的慶祝煙火，則是為了嚇走一種叫做「年」的怪獸！