Living standards climb higher every year.
Yet the holiday spirit seems to diminish with each passing annum.
Xu Qing looked out into the night, feeling none of the festive ambiance that used to accompany the approach of the New Year.
Last year there were at least some small flags fluttering in the streets, celebrating the Spring Festival, but this year there were only a few lonely red lanterns hanging about.
There was no snow this year...
There had been a couple of light snows a few days earlier, but none had stuck, dashing Jiang He's hopes of playing on the ice.
"Without fireworks, there's no New Year's atmosphere."
"It's better they're banned. The constant crackling and popping till midnight was just annoying."
"Another year older, and it still feels the same..."
"What kind of feeling do you want, kid?"
"It's just a pity. I remember New Years past; everything was so festive. We'd buy meat and haul a whole pig leg back home. Now it's no different from any other day."
