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The Chinese New Year is the most important family holiday of the year. The two week long celebration often involves traditional visits to elder family members, and giving red envelopes containing cash to children. Chinese families give their homes a thorough cleaning the week before the new year, to symbolize sweeping away the bad luck and problems of the previous year. Red lanterns and banners adorn homes and businesses, and many businesses will close or have shortened work days and staff throughout the celebration.

The Chinese calendar is a lunar calendar, based on the cycles of the moon. The first day of the new year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, so depending on the year, it can be anywhere from late January to the middle of February. The next Chinese New Year is January 26, 2009, the beginning of the Year of the Ox.

Every year in the Chinese calendar is named after an animal. According to legend, Buddha summoned all the animals to say goodbye before he left earth. Only twelve came, so he gave each one a year in their honor in the order they arrived. Each animal's year arrives every twelve years, and the Chinese believe that your personality is determined by the animal whose year you were born under, much like our astrological signs. Here are the twelve animals in order:

Year of the Rat (1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008) - Those born under the rat are imaginative, charming, and generous. They tend to be quick tempered and critical.

Year of the Ox (1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009) - Oxen are great leaders, excellent at inspiring confidence in others. They are methodical and good with their hands, and can be very demanding of others.

Year of the Tiger (1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998) - Tigers are adventurous, bold, and charming. They sometimes take unnecessary risks.

Year of the Rabbit (1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999) - Rabbits have a lot of friends because they are cooperative, affectionate, and kind. They can also be superficial and emotional.

Year of the Dragon (1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000) - People born during these years are popular, enthusiastic, fun loving, and full of life.

Year of the Snake (1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001) - Snakes are thoughtful, romantic, and charming. They can be cheap with their money and dismissive of people they don't like.

Year of the Horse (1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002) - Individuals born during these years are intelligent, independent, and hard working. They can also be a bit selfish.

Year of the Sheep (1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003) - Sheep are elegant, artistic, and materialistic. They can also worry and complain too much.

Year of the Monkey (1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004) - Those born under the monkey are intelligent , popular, and almost always successful.

Year of the Rooster (1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005) - Roosters are hard working and good decision makers. They can also be egotistical and opinionated.

Year of the Dog (1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006) - People born during these years are honest and faithful. They can be overly critical and worry too much.

Year of the Boar (1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007) - Boars are friendly, honest, and tolerant. They tend to expect too much from those around them.

2009 will be the Year of the Ox. Oxen are methodical and demanding leaders, so responsibility and discipline are key during the Year of the Ox. These years also stress the importance of home-life and a back to basics philosophy. Frivolous time wasting and lazy short cuts are sure to fail. Success is possible, but it will require hard work and constant focus.

So roll up your sleeves and have a Happy New Year!

Learn more about this author, Kimberly Schiller.
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