春节临近，置办年货成为中国老百姓的头等大事，家家户户开始采购各种吃的、穿的、用的、玩儿的，这些被统称为“年货（special purchases for the Spring Festival）”，而采购年货的过程称为“办年货（do Spring Festival shopping）”。
古时候，“办年货”是为了满足生活必需，而在物质丰富的现代，好饭菜随时可以享受得到，人们“办年货”更多是为了追求新年的仪式感（preparing the special purchases is more like a ceremony to feel the new year atmosphere）。
- 从小年开始，人们就要置办年货了，包括给祖先的贡品、招待客人的用品，还有过年期间一家人的吃食都要提前买好。
People start to stock up necessary provisions for the Spring Festival since the Little New Year. Everything needed to make offerings to the ancestors, entertain guests, and feed the family over the long holiday must be purchased in advance.
