Shopping begins for Xiao Nian festival

Beijingers are also celebrating the Kitchen God Festival, which is hailed as the preliminary celebration of Spring Festival. Our reporter Song Yaotian went to the Wukesong lunar New Year market, in the west of Beijing to see what holiday merchandises are on offer.

The Wukesong lunar New Year market is THE destination for everything you need for Spring Festival. And prices are at least 30 percent cheaper than in the shops.

Joyful cardboard ornaments and papercuttings attract those who want to decorate their family home. On the more traditional end, Yangliuqing New Year woodblock pictures from Tianjin are printed on square red paper, providing a variation to the traditional character "Fu", Chinese word for fortune.

Reporter, "These new year prints from Tianjin and the paper cuts are the traditional holiday decorations. Using new technology, the colors and patterns are long-lasting so they can be kept as souvenirs. You can paste this paper cut straight onto the window without using paste."

This sticky candy, known as Tang guaer, made of malt, grains and sugar, is especially popular. It is a traditional candy eaten during Xiao Nian festival, which is also called the Kitchen God festival.

Visitor said, "My son told me to buy this candy. It is to pay tribute to the Kitchen God."

Every part of China has their own delicacies for the holiday. And you can collect a bit from each of them. Sticky buns with bean paste wrapped in glutinous millet dough, a popular winter food from Northeast China, and dumplings stuffed with Spanish mackerel fished out from the coast of Shandong province are good options for those who don't want to do it themselves.

Merchant said, "This fish is both delicious and nutritious, it's rich is protein. It's very good for kids and the elderly. It's also good in relieving fatigue."

For many locals, a trip here before Spring Festival is a must.

Visitor said, "We want to buy some dried fruits, and buy some toys for the kids."

Visitor said, "I think it's really good."

Visitor said, "We come every year."

Those interested to see the market for themselves should hurry. It will close this coming Tuesday, after 20 days running.