InmanyhouseholdswhereBuddhismorTaoismispreva lent,homealtarsandstatuesarecleanedthoroughly,andaltarsthatwereadornedwithdecorationsfromthepreviousyeararealsotakendownandburnedaweekbeforethenewyearstarts,andreplacedwithnewdecorations.Taoists(andBuddhiststoalesserextent)willalso"sendgods"(送神),anexamplewouldbeburningapapereffigyofZaoJuntheKitchenGod,therecorderoffamilyfunctions.ThisisdonesothattheKitchenGodcanreporttotheJadeEmperorofthefamilyhousehold'stransgressionsandgooddeeds.Familiesoftenoffersweetfoods(suchascandy)inorderto"bribe"thedeitiesintoreportinggoodthingsaboutthefamily.

ThebiggesteventofanyChineseNewYear'sEveisthedinnereveryfamilywillhave.AdishconsistingoffishwillappearonthetablesofChinesefamilies.ItisfordisplayfortheNewYear'sEvedinner.ThismealiscomparabletoChristmasdinnerintheWest.InnorthernChina,itiscustomarytomakedumplings(jiaozi饺子)afterdinnerandhaveitaroundmidnight.DumplingssymbolizewealthbecausetheirshapeislikeaChinesetael.Bycontrast,intheSouth,itiscustomarytomakeanewyearcake(Niangao,年糕)afterdinnerandsendpiecesofitasgiftstorelativesandfriendsinthecomingdaysofthenewyear.Niangaoliterallymeansincreasinglyprosperousyearinyearout.Afterthedinner,somefamiliesgotolocaltemples,hoursbeforethenewyearbeginstoprayforaprosperousnewyearbylightingthefirstincenseoftheyear;howeverinmodernpractice,manyhouseholdsholdpartiesandevenholdacountdowntothenewlunaryear.Beginninginthe1980s,theCCTVNewYear'sGalawasbroadcastfourhoursbeforethestartoftheNewYear.