Shanghai – CCTV Children’s Channel began airing a Spring Festival Special series called Happy New Year from January 31 to February 6. Airing every night 6pm-7pm and with particular themes, the program is aimed at encouraging children to learn more about Spring Festival. In addition, it is the first time that CCTV Children’s Channel hosts are meeting with the Muppets of Sesame Street. During the special, there is a segment called “Chinese New Year”, where Elmo, Cookie Monster and Lily chat with the hosts about special traditions and customs, and hear legendary stories.

Ju Ping, one of the most well-known CCTV children’s show hosts, chats with Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster about special traditions of Chinese New Year celebration. ©2014. Sesame Workshop. All rights reserved.

Happy New Year’s “Chinese New Year” is the first in-depth cooperation between CCTV Children’s Channel and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organisation behind Sesame Street. The 10 segments feature CCTV children’s hosts Ju Ping, Dong Hao, Jin Guizi, Huang Wei, Xiao Lu, Red Apple and Green Bubble, Mr. Sesame, Sister Moon, Du Yue and Zhou Zhou. The themes include monster year, bid farewell to the old and usher in the new, dinner on the eve of New Year, the Year of the Horse, lion dance and Lantern Festival.