CCTV teams up with Sesame Street for Chinese New Year special

For the first time, hosts from China’s CCTV children’s channel will mingle with Sesame Street Muppets on a Spring Festival-themed special.

The one-hour special series, Happy New Year, is airing every night this week in the US with various themes designed to encourage children to learn more about the Chinese Spring Festival. The segments will be re-broadcast from January 31-February 6 on CCTV Children’s Channel.

During the special, there is a segment called Chinese New Year, where Elmo, Cookie Monster and Lily chat with CCTV hosts about special traditions and customs.

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.