In the Chinese lunar calendar, the 23rd or 24th of the 12th month are the Kitchen God Festival days, also known as "Little New Year "(Chinese: Xiaonian). Xiaonian usually refers to the day when people sweep the dust and worship the Kitchen God. The folk custom of sacrificing to the Kitchen God originated from the tradition of worshipping fire in ancient times. The duty of the Kitchen God is to control the stove and manage the food, and later it was expanded to examine the behaviors on earth, bringing blessings and disasters. The belief of the Kitchen God reflects people's pursuit of abundant food and warm clothing. According to a local record of customs in the Jin Dynasty, "On the night of the 24th day of the lunar month, people worship the Kitchen God."

Due to the different customs in the north and the south, the date of Little New Year varies. Before the mid-Qing Dynasty, traditionally people celebrated Little New Year on the 24th day of the 12th lunar month in most parts of China. However, since the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, the imperial family held the ceremony on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month.

Today, Little New Year is celebrated on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month in northern China and on the 24th day in most southern China. In Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai regions, both the "24th day of the 12th lunar month" and the "night before New Year's Eve" are called Little New Year. In Nanjing, the Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first month, is called Little New Year. In some areas of Yunnan province, Little New Year is celebrated on the 16th day of the first lunar month. In some areas of southwest and north China, Little New Year is celebrated on New Year's Eve.

Little New Year is considered as the start of preparing for Chinese New Year. It means that people start to shop for the New Year, sweep the dust and offer sacrifices. It expresses a good wish to say farewell to the old and welcome the new.