Although customs such as spending time with family and friends are still considered important, many of the older generation lament the gradual erosion of the intricacies of Chinese New Year, as they observe affluence trampling upon tradition.

Dr. Huang Shu-min, director of the Institute of Ethnology at Academia Sinica, attributes changes in tradition to Taiwan's "modernization development," which has led to a globally rising middle-class lifestyle.

Affluence and evolving lifestyles are having a major impact on how New Year is celebrated in Taiwan. Dr. Huang said, via an email interview, "The traditional practices of having family meals together on New Year's Eve or paying homage to parents the following morning have become less important. Instead, using the New Year's holiday for overseas travel has become increasingly popular. Such changes have been going on for a couple of decades."

The hectic pace of modern living has taken a toll on many time-honored New Year traditions that originated in agricultural society. Wearing new clothes during the New Year holiday is no longer a novelty. Food preparation has become simpler, and delicacies that were previously made at home are now readily available in supermarkets.

For many, balancing work with New Year preparations has become a juggling act, leading to the decline of homemade dishes. People are discouraged by the large amount of preparation and time required to cook traditional foods such as nian gao, a sweet glutinous rice cake. Sherry Liang, a Mandarin teacher born and brought up in Taiwan, said, "Many people consider preparing New Year's Eve dinner at home a burden. They choose to eat at restaurants instead. It is sad because the process of preparing meals together as a family is gone."

Today, people face more alternatives, which have led to traditions, such as praying at temples and worshipping ancestors, partially giving way to new activities that include barbecuing, visiting scenic spots, and traveling abroad.

There has been a steady rise of overseas travel during the Chinese New Year holidays. According to statistics from the Tourism Bureau, the outbound departures of Republic of China nationals was 1,377,623 between January and February last year, compared to 1,093,184 during the same period in 2000.

For many, assembling the entire family during Chinese New Year takes Herculean effort when schedules must be balanced and traffic dealt with to arrive at an agreed destination. As a result, a family spread out around the globe may opt to meet at a mutually convenient holiday resort instead.

On the other hand, "Many families travel abroad and take advantage of their time off by combining their annual vacation with the celebration of Chinese New Year," said Andrea Paradis-Ho, a Mandarin teacher at Taipei American School. However, whether they are abroad or at home, most people choose to spend Chinese New Year with family.

Although the attachment to old holiday practices may be loosening, "the essence of Chinese New Year remains, psychologically. People still reunite with old classmates, friends, family, and relatives, and the holiday opens doors to new opportunities," said Ms. Liang.

Dr. Huang agrees, "Some Chinese New Year traditions are still practiced, such as the year-end and spring banquets. Symbolically, people still use those occasions to build interpersonal networks."

A chameleon remains a chameleon even when it alters its color with the changing environment. Similarly, although the traditions of Chinese New Year have undergone some changes over time, the festive season comes back with the same excitement and fanfare every year, with family togetherness at the heart of celebrations.