Reimagining reunion

For example, in Chaoshan, he asked local residents why they continued to uphold traditional customs year after year."Their reason was simple and beautiful," he recalled. "They answered that it's their culture. It's what they do and love. Why wouldn't they continue? That was the moment I felt the beauty of this traditional festival. There may be no commercial value in it, but it has endless value."

For Gibson, the heart of the festival is "an expression of who we are as humans".

"We all get caught up in the daily grind — work, money, survival," he said. "Spring Festival is a reminder to come back to what really matters. It brings us back to love, to working together, to remembering that there's more to life than just getting by."

Gibson said he hopes his song can serve as a "soundtrack" for those who, for various reasons, are unable to return to their hometowns during the holiday, allowing the festival's emotional core to resonate wherever they are.

Modern togetherness

Li Zhiyue, from the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, was among those who did not return home this year due to work commitments in Beijing.

But instead of spending New Year's Eve alone, he turned to social media and invited others in a similar situation to gather at his home and celebrate together.

Though they were strangers at first, preparing dinner, chatting, and watching the Spring Festival Gala side by side helped them recreate the warmth of traditional customs.

"We made sure to tuck a coin into the dumplings, believing that whoever finds it will have good luck in the coming year," Li said. "At the same time, we added a few new touches — taking goofy group photos and exchanging mystery gifts."

In Li's view, celebrating Spring Festival with peers has its own appeal.

"It feels free and relaxed — like we're all on the same wavelength," he said. "There's no pressure from relatives asking about our jobs or whether we're getting married. There's just companionship and mutual understanding."

He hopes that his experiment can offer an alternative perspective.

"As society changes, I think young people can redefine what 'reunion' and 'festive atmosphere' mean in their own way," he said. "It takes courage to create your own warmth — to build something that feels both independent and imaginative."

In Shanghai, Peng Peng, a senior account manager at W Moment, an event planning and cultural experience agency, has taken that idea a step further by organizing Spring Festival activities for foreigners eager to experience authentic Chinese traditions.

She noticed that many foreign residents stay in big cities during the holiday, when urban neighborhoods grow unusually quiet as locals return to their hometowns.

"They see the decorations and celebrations online, but they rarely get to step into a real family setting," she said. "They don't have the chance to see how customs vary from city to city."

At the same time, Peng has heard a common refrain: that the festive spirit is fading, that the holiday no longer feels as magical as it did in childhood. For many people — especially the younger generation — long-standing traditions, such as watching the Spring Festival Gala together from beginning to end, have gradually given way to evenings spent scrolling on smartphones.

"It's true that when we were young, Spring Festival celebrations were orchestrated by our parents and grandparents. We didn't have to worry about a thing," she said. "But when international friends come and ask why we perform certain rituals, it becomes our responsibility to explain. We can't just turn to our parents anymore. We're the ones introducing the traditions and organizing the gathering. We become the hosts."

For Peng, that shift matters. As adults, she said, young people can now become active creators of the atmosphere they once passively enjoyed. Rather than lamenting the loss of tradition, she believes her generation should take ownership of it.

"We shouldn't just complain that the Chinese New Year doesn't feel the same," she said. "In the past, our families created that feeling for us. Now that we've grown up, it's our turn to create an unforgettable Spring Festival for them. That, too, is a way of giving back."