1. a lunar year in which the last month has 29 days
這一解釋出於《上海譯文漢英大辭典》，意思指農曆臘月是小建的年份，也就是說，農曆臘月只有29天，沒有年三十的年份。同時《外研社漢英雙語現代漢語詞典》中也有類似解釋。
2. festival on the 23rd or 24th of the 12th month of the lunar year, when sacrifices are made to the kitchen god
《漢英詞典》中出現的對於小年的解釋。意思是，此節在臘月二十三或二十四日，意味祭灶。
3. Minor Spring Festival或Minor Chinese New Year
對於小年用英語怎麼說,有人建議可以用Minor New Year，但New Year顯然不是春節的意思。
那麼，小年究竟做什麼呢?
1. In one of the most distinctive traditions of the Minor Spring Festival is the burning of a paper image of the Kitchen god, dispatching the god's spirit to Heaven to report on the family's conduct over the past year. The Kitchen god is then welcomed back by to the home through the pasting of a new paper image of him beside the stove. From this vantage point, the Kitchen god will oversee and protect the household for another year.
小年節最具特色的傳統之一就是焚燒灶神的紙像，將灶神的靈魂送上天堂，匯報這家人過去一年的行為。然後，通過在灶臺旁粘貼一張新的灶神畫像，灶神回到了家中。從這個有利的位置，灶神將監督和保護家庭另一年。
2. Between Laba Festival, on the eighth day of the last lunar month, and Minor Spring Festival, on the twenty-third day, families throughout China undertake a thorough house cleaning, sweeping out the old in preparation for the New Year.
在臘八節(最後一個月的第八天)和小年春節(第二十三天)之間，中國各地的家庭都會進行大掃除，為新年做準備。
3. In Minor Spring Festival, old couplets and paper-cuts from the previous year would betaken down, and new window decorations, New Year's posters, and auspicious decorations are pasted up.
在小年節，人們會貼上一年的舊對聯和剪紙，貼新窗花、年畫和吉祥的裝飾物。
4. As the old Chinese saying goes, whether the rich or the poor, have a haircut before the Spring Festival. The activity of taking a bath and having a haircut are often taken on the Minor Spring Festival.
中國有句老話，無論貧富，春節前都要理髮。洗澡和理髮的活動通常是在小的春節。
5. People start to stock up necessary provisions for the Spring Festival since Minor Spring Festival. Everything needed to make offerings to the ancestors, entertain guests, and feed the family over the long holiday must be purchased in advance.
從小春節開始，人們就開始儲備過年的必需品。在這個漫長的節日裡，祭祖、招待客人、供養家人所需要的一切東西都必須提前購買。
小年來歷：
關於小年的由來
主要與民間傳說中的灶王爺有關
傳說灶王爺名叫張單
本是民間的一個俊俏公子
張單娶妻後性格大變
成天遊手好閒
最後落得個沿街乞討的下場
一天，張單在乞討時走到了前妻家中
見到妻子後，張單羞愧難當
一頭鑽進了灶臺被大火燒死
玉帝知道此事後，認為張單知道羞愧
便把他封為了灶神掌管民間
並讓他每年臘月二十三日上天匯報
百姓知道此事後
紛紛在臘月二十三日這天祭拜灶神
希望灶王爺上天后能夠多匯報家裡的好事
所以民間便有了
上天言好事，回宮降吉祥的俗語
久而久之
臘月二十三日就成了送灶神的日子
也被人們稱為小年夜