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The History of Chinese New Year

Chinese months are based on the lunar cycle, and the Chinese New Year always begins on the day of the second New Moon after the Winter Solstice. The sky is darkest during the New Moon, and the New Years celebration continues for 15 days until there is a Full Moon. Chinese New Year ends with a lantern festival.

At Chinese New Year celebrations, people dress in red, which symbolizes fire, a color thought to drive away bad luck. For good luck, people also decorate with poems, written on red paper, and give children money in red envelopes. Fireworks are traditionally used to repel evil spirits. Colorfully designed lanterns are lit and carried during a parade that usually features a dragon dance. Several young men hold up a dragon costume, which can be 100 feet long, and dance through the streets during the parade.

In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.

Family is emphasized during the Chinese New Year, and family members often reunite for the festivities. When early Chinese immigrants arrived in America, several left their families behind; so, during the New Year, they usually celebrated in neighborhood associations, where they could still find a strong sense of family and togetherness.

Chinese New Years are cyclically named after one of twelve animals. According to legend, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year and twelve came so Buddha named a year after each one. He then announced that the people born in an animal's year would have some of the personality of that animal.

2008 is the Year of the Rat. It is said that those born in the Year of the Rat tend to be leaders, charming, passionate, and hardworking.

All debts are supposed to be paid by New Years, and it is very unlucky to lend objects during the celebration. Those who don’t adhere to these followings will be lending year-round and receive misfortune.

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