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December 23 of Chinese Lunar Calendar (Little New Year) 腊月二十三——小年 Custom: Worshiping the Kitchen God 习俗：祭灶 As the legend goes, there is a kitchen god in each house who is responsible for the kitchen and oversees the conduct of the family. On this day, the kitchen god returns to Heaven to report the conducts of the family to the Emperor of Heaven. Therefore, worshipping the kitchen god aims to "please him." People put out some sweet and sticky foods, such as rice dumplings and malted sugar. In this way, the lips of the kitchen god will stuck together, and he cannot report any wrong doings of the family. Thus the family can lead an auspicious life. 民俗传说中，每家都有一位灶神掌管饮食，也记录一家人的言行。每年的腊月二十三，灶神要返回天庭汇报每家每户一年的大小事，所以祭灶的主题就是“拉拢灶神”。在厨房内摆放些又甜又粘牙的食物，如汤圆、麦芽糖，这样灶神的嘴被这些好吃的粘住后，就能少汇报些坏事，各家才能天降吉祥。 December 24 of Chinese Lunar Calendar 腊月二十四 Custom: Dusting 习俗：扫尘 After worshipping the kitchen god, people begin to thoroughly clean their houses to sweep away bad luck and welcome good luck. Dusting shows the good wish of putting away old things and welcoming a new life, making everything look fresh in the new year. | 
