The Ice and Snow Festival Highlights

It will fall upon January 1st, 2019 and last till the early March, 2019, Based on the theme of “Bright Pearl of the Crown of Ice and Snow”, a variety of activities about ice and snow, concerning tourism, culture, fashion and sport, will be open to all tourists.

Several different stories are told about the origin of Saint Valentine's Day. One legend (传奇) dates as far back as the days of the Roman Empire. According to the story, Claudius, the Emperor of Rome, wanted to increase the size of his army. He knew that it would be easier to get young men who were not married to join. Therefore he made a rule that no young man could marry until he had served a certain number of years in the army.

A priest (牧师) named Valentine broke the rule and secretly married a great many young people. Finally, Claudius found out about Valentine and put the priest in prison, where he remained until his death on February 14.

After his death, Valentine was made a saint (圣人), and the day of his death was named Saint Valentine's Day. It became the custom for lovers to send each other message on this day. Now Saint Valentine's Day is a time for people to send one another greeting of many kinds.

February 14, Valentine's Day, is a sweethearts' day, on which people in love with each other express their tender (温柔的) emotions.

People sometimes put their love message in a heart-shaped box of chocolates, or a bunch of flowers tied with red ribbons (带子). Words of letters may be written on the flower covered card, or something else. Whatever the form may be, the message is almost the same: "Will you be my Valentine?"

From baking pumpkin pie to celebrating the moon, here’s how autumn is celebrated across the globe. 

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the biggest and most widely celebrated harvest festivals in the world. It is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. In many Asian countries including China, the festival is celebrated as a public holiday, with families gathering and giving thanks for the harvest and full moon.

Oktoberfest is another major autumn celebration that, while originating in Germany, has inspired local versions around the globe. The world’s largest folk festival begins in September and runs for about two weeks, featuring traditional Bavarian food, music, clothing, and most importantly, lots of beer!

Thanksgiving is also an important celebration for Americans that takes place in late November every year, with seasonal dishes like yams smothered and pumpkin pies always having a place at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Walks, hikes and trips to see the changing foliage are also hugely popular, with locations like Asheville and North Carolina, boasting of some of the most beautiful autumn scenery around.

There are also several cultural and religious events that occur throughout October and November. Dia de Los Muertos, on the 1st and 2nd November, is a Mexican celebration that honours the lives of those who have passed away with food, drinks and activities that those loved ones enjoyed when they were alive. Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is another spiritual celebration of the victory of light over darkness, and good over evil, which falls on 14th November. Lighting candles all around the house and hoping for health and wealth are the chief rituals of the festival.