Do you know any facts about Chinese New Year?

According to my mom:

1) 4-days prior (or on the 26th day of the 12th month), you say thanks to the "stove god" for all the good food in the past year. You also fill-up your rice container.
2) Clean your house before the first day of the new year and throw away anything that's broken, dead, wiltered, etc.
3) Family dinner on Chinese New Year's Eve is a must. Make sure there's leftover rice in the rice cooker.
4) You say thanks to the gods and then ancestors by burning paper money. This needs to be done at the right time, usually within the first few hours of the first day and then again on the second and third.
5) You go to the temple on the first day of the new year and you "borrow" money from the gods. The amount you "borrow" is the amount you will make/earn in the new year.
6) You don't wash your hair until you've had "open year" meal with family on the second day of the new year.
7) Same thing for washing/sweeping floors, cleaning house. If you spill something, just wipe it. If you break something (ie. glass), say something good before picking up the broken pieces. One common phrase is "blossoms on the floor bring wealth and riches".
8) You don't go visit people on the third day or you'll end up in an argument
9) The 7th day of the new year is considered "day of the people" and kids get red envelopes again.
10) You don't open red envelopes until the 15th day of the new year (the 15th of the first month is also the "Chinese Valentines Day")
11) The new year doesn't officially start until Feb 4 of each year.

These are just a few of the "beliefs" that were passed down from previous generations, and my mom still practices them. Hope it helps.

Here are some I've heard of:-
(1) do not sweep floor on 1st day of Chinese New Year. This is because they fear they'll sweep away the good luck.
(2) celebrate with firecrackers, the loud noise is supposed to scare the demons away.
(3) give red packet @ angpow (only given to to non-married person) to give good luck to that person
(4) repay all debts before the 1st day of Chinese New Year. If not, will be in debt to that person for life.

they give children red envelopes with beautiful pictures filled with money
and they do the lion dance, put up lots of red decorations and put of fireworks to scare away bad spirits from the next year. and theres also lots of food to celebrate the new year with your family.

i know it doesnt directly line up with the normal fiscal year. i also know each year represents 1 of the 12 animals on the calender.

all i know is they have lots of good food

why not to write "at least a hundred", anyway you won't get them
:P
it's not called Chinese New Year, it's called Spring Festival