Money and presents are also given and received in red envelopes and packaging to ward off evil.
Other popular Lunar New Year gifts are alcohol, tea, fruits, and candies.
That said, expect factory shutdowns for two weeks or so.
How to plan for shutdown? Firecrackers are usually strung on a long fused string so it can be hung down.
In modern China, migrant workers in China travel home to have with their families on Chinese New Year's Eve.
The dates for chinese new year and other traditional festivals are based on the chinese lunar calendar, and thus they change every year, relative to the gregorian calendar we use in the west.