Today is the eve of the eve of Chinese New Year! Haha. I am sure that all of you are excited about it. I am going to tell you about the traditions and customs of this important festival.
CNY this year will fall on the 26th of January. This year's animal sign is the ox (cow). CNY is the most important festival amongst all Chinese, there are many traditions associated with the Spring Festival.
The day that CNY falls on in future
| 2009 | 01/26/2009 | Ox | |
| 2010 | 02/14/2010 | Tiger | |
| 2011 | 02/03/2011 | Rabbit | |
| 2012 | 01/23/2012 | Dragon |
The animal signs running in order
1. Rat
2. Ox
3. Tiger
4. Rabbit
5. Dragon
6. Snake
7. Horse
8. Sheep
9. Monkey
10. Roster
11. Dog
12. Pig (me)
Finding your animal sign
From 1920 - 1950:
| 02/17/1950 | 02/05/1951 | Tiger |
| 02/06/1951 | 01/26/1952 | Rabbit |
| 01/27/1952 | 02/13/1953 | Dragon |
| 02/14/1953 | 02/02/1954 | Snake |
| 02/03/1954 | 01/23/1955 | Horse |
| 01/24/1955 | 02/11/1956 | Goat |
| 02/12/1956 | 01/30/1957 | Monkey |
| 01/31/1957 | 02/17/1958 | Rooster |
| 02/18/1958 | 02/07/1959 | Dog |
| 02/08/1959 | 01/27/1960 | Pig |
| 01/28/1960 | 02/14/1961 | Rat |
| 02/15/1961 | 02/04/1962 | Ox |
| 02/05/1962 | 01/24/1963 | Tiger |
| 01/25/1963 | 02/12/1964 | Rabbit |
| 02/13/1964 | 02/01/1965 | Dragon |
| 02/02/1965 | 01/20/1966 | Snake |
| 01/21/1966 | 02/08/1967 | Horse |
| 02/09/1967 | 01/29/1968 | Goat |
| 01/30/1968 | 02/16/1969 | Monkey |
| 02/17/1969 | 02/05/1970 | Rooster |
| 02/06/1970 | 01/26/1971 | Dog |
| 01/27/1971 | 02/14/1972 | Pig |
| 02/15/1972 | 02/02/1973 | Rat |
| 02/03/1973 | 01/22/1974 | Ox |
| 01/23/1974 | 02/10/1975 | Tiger |
| 02/11/1975 | 01/30/1976 | Rabbit |
| 01/31/1976 | 02/17/1977 | Dragon |
| 02/18/1977 | 02/06/1978 | Snake |
| 02/07/1978 | 01/27/1979 | Horse |
| 01/28/1979 | 02/15/1980 | Goat |
| 02/16/1980 | 02/04/1981 | Monkey |
| 02/05/1981 | 01/24/1982 | Rooster |
| 01/25/1982 | 02/12/1983 | Dog |
| 02/13/1983 | 02/01/1984 | Pig |
| 02/02/1984 | 02/19/1985 | Rat |
| 02/20/1985 | 02/08/1986 | Ox |
| 02/09/1986 | 01/28/1987 | Tiger |
| 01/29/1987 | 02/16/1988 | Rabbit |
| 02/17/1988 | 02/05/1989 | Dragon |
| 02/06/1989 | 01/26/1990 | Snake |
| 01/27/1990 | 02/14/1991 | Horse |
| 02/15/1991 | 02/03/1992 | Goat |
| 02/04/1992 | 01/22/1993 | Monkey |
| 01/23/1993 | 02/09/1994 | Rooster |
| 02/10/1994 | 01/30/1995 | Dog |
| 01/31/1995 | 02/18/1996 | Pig |
| 02/19/1996 | 02/06/1997 | Rat |
Things Chinese Do
Here is a list of things or traditions Chinese may do around Chinese New Year.
1. Preparation
Usually the preparation starts a month before the new year. The preparation includes thoroughly cleaning and decorating the house, buying new clothes, preparing enough food for at least two weeks. The decorations are highly symbolic with a lot of lucky words, printed paintings and red colors everywhere. Kids are busy in shopping for different kinds of firecrackers. Everyone gets a haircut before the new year. So everything and everyone looks new and fresh on the new year.
2. New Year' Eve
The New Year's Eve is the time for families. The New Year Eve's dinner is the biggest dinner of the year, much like Thanksgiving dinner. The dinner is full of symbolic meaning, such as Chinese dumplings implying wealth since they have the shape of ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots. Everyone, even kids, drinks a little Jiu (usually hard liquor), which symbolizes longevity since Jiu has the same pronunciation as longevity in Chinese. Then the family chats while watching national TV shows or listening to radio together until the coming of the new year. In China, the national TV shows have been prepared for a few months by a group of famous entertainers.
3. Firecrackers
Firecrackers are set off as soon as the new year arrives. You can hear or see firecrackers everywhere and this usually lasts for a few hours. Some people will continue to play firecrackers occasionally through out the first half of the first month. Traditionally fireworks are the sign of getting rid of the old and welcoming the new. Fireworks are now banned in China, so this tradition is history.
4. Red Packets
Giving Hongbao or red packets during Chinese new year is another tradition. A Red packet is simply a red envelope with money in it, which symbolizes luck and wealth. Red packets are typically handed out to younger generation by their parents, grand parents, relatives, and even close neighbors and friends.
5. New Year Greetings
Chinese New Year is also the time for socializing. People usually wear new clothes and go out to visit and greet their relatives and friends, so the streets are filled with a lot of cheerful people. The greetings and visitings can go on for a few days.
Dragon and Lion dancing is another tradition of Chinese New Year.
Cleon Wong (07) 1A4
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