"Do you want your rat grilled or poached?' You may hear enterprising farmers in Thailand and the Philippines asking their adventurous diners. NBC.com reports the popularity of eating rat meat to celebrate the Chinese New Year. In Malaysia, red hot panties with rat motif are flying off the shelves. Red being the lucky color, to usher in a good year. You want to be caught in one of those. Finnair's China flights will be serving the traditional sweet dumplings to customers flying to Chinese destinations on this auspicious day.

On the 7th of February, some 1.374 billions of Chinese people will ring in the Year of the Rat. The first of the twelve-animal cycle of the Chinese zodiac, 2008 starts another twelve year cycle. First established by Emperor Huang Ti in 2006 BC, the celebration of the new year is one of the most important of Chinese traditions.

Chinese New Year or Chun Jie in Chinese, literally means Spring Festival and it celebrates the coming of Spring. It signifies new beginning, a fresh start for everyone. Another word commonly used is Guo Nian. According to legend, Nian was a man-eating beast from the mountains that would appear once a year, nearing the close of winter to terrorize villagers. Soon, the villagers discovered that loud noises and the color red frightened the monster. In a concerted effort, they managed to scare the monster away with explosions, fireworks and the liberal use of red. Freed, they celebrate the Passover of Nian with food, festivities and reaffirmation of familial ties and friendship.

In China and parts of Asia where there is a predominance of Chinese people, everything slows down for two weeks to observe this auspicious change of lunar calendar. Prior to the actual day, households are frenzied with meticulous cleaning and shopping. A clean house is needed to welcome good will and luck. The streets teem with Chinese New Year delicacies and goods-sweet dumplings, sticky cakes, waxed duck, barbecues meat, melons seeds in barrels, preserved kumquats, oranges by the crates, chrysanthemums, plum blossoms and pussy willow. Every item carries a special significance but in sum, they promise luck, prosperity, longevity, and wealth for the coming year.

Perhaps the most important of all the observances is the Reunion dinner, taken the eve of Chinese New Year. All married sons with their families make their way home to their parents to share this important meal. It's customary to eat fish and have some left

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