by V.L. Holme

Created on: November 22, 2008   Last Updated: January 13, 2009

The Chinese New Year is the most important and longest holiday celebration in Chinese culture. 2009 is Chinese year 4707, with New Years Day being January 26, 2009. Find out more about this ancient holiday, what it means for you and what the future holds for the coming year.

The early Roman calendar marked the new year on the 1st of March until 153 BC when it was moved to the 1st of January. In the 1500's, the solar Gregorian calendar was adopted, and with adjustments by the Catholic Church for religious observation, continued to decree January 1st as New Years Day. This calendar is the most widely used today.

The Chinese calendar is based on the principles of the lunar year. It begins with the New Moon on the first day of the new year. The Chinese people began to celebrate new years in about 2000 BC, and to this day, hold festivities for 15 days.

Chinese tradition involves great preparation for the holiday. New Years Eve is often celebrated with a large feast, much like Thanksgiving. Firecrackers are lit as the new year arrives to take leave of the old and welcome the new. As the festival continues, friends and neighbors meet. Lion and dragon dances are often seen. Everything culminates with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day. Lanterns are displayed in a striking parade. And once again, families get together to eat traditional food by the light of the Full Moon.

The Signs

The Chinese Lunar Calendar is broken down into five 12 year cycles. 2009 is significant in that it will mark the start of a new cycle. Each year is named after a specific mythological animal in relation to the signs of the chinese zodiac. The Chinese feel that the characteristics of the animal of your birth year are inherent in who you are as a person. You can be born in the year of the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog or pig. To find out what animal represents your birth year, go to chinesezodiac.com.

Rats are considered to be charming and always in search of knowledge. Oxes are dependable, calm and patient. Tigers are the rebels of the group and exude fire and passion. Rabbits are sensitive, soft-spoken and cautious. The stately Dragon is often seen as a pioneer. The snake is wise and often alone in thought. The horse, on the other hand, is cheerful and social. The mother figure of the ram is shy and compassionate. A keen problem solver is the monkey, who seeks to innovate. The rooster is neat and a perfectionist. With its head in the clouds, the dog is idealistic. The pig, however, is simple and honest.

What will 2009 Bring?

2009 is the Year of the Ox and lasts until February 13, 2010. This year represents the characteristics of the ox, steady and true. It promises to be a stable year with focus on tradition and values. Patience and hard work are rewarded. Take care of business this year and do not let things go. This is not a time to be overly adventurous.

The Chinese New Year is a chance to celebrate family unity and bring people together. Search the web for ideas on how you can participate in honoring your family during the Chinese New Year. Ideas abound on activities, decoration, food preparation, and best of all, on how to pay tribute to the past year and look forward to the future.

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Happy New Year!

References:

http://www.herongyang.com/chinese/festivals/new_year .html

http://www.chinesezodiac.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org

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