Life is to be celebrated! This is the main idea behind carnival festivals around the world. The word “carnival” comes from the words carne vale, which mean “farewell to meat”. It’s the celebration right before Lent (大斋节). This period of several weeks before Easter is dedicated to solemn (庄严的) living. Traditionally, some Christians would not eat meat during this time. It is said that this helped them focus on God.