On the Eve of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Monkey, reader Suzanne looks at how Chinese New Year is celebrated and check out what the various Chinese zodiac signs might mean for you!
Suzanne says:
Chinese New Year begins on 8th February, and is celebrated not just in China but in communities all around the world.
- On Sunday, New Year's Eve, clean the house to sweep away any bad luck remaining from the year gone by. It's fresh start time!
- Decorate the home with red paper lanterns!
- Have a family meal to see out the old year and welcome the new one, and to celebrate togetherness with family and friends.
- Eat fish for good luck, celery for wisdom, noodles for long life, plums for wisdom and sweets for a sweet year ahead!
- Wear new clothes!
- Give red envelopes containing money, for good luck!
- Set off fireworks or firecrackers to frighten away evil spirits!
- Go to see a dragon or a lion dance to welcome the new year!
What Chinese Zodiac sign are you? Check out your year of birth to see!
RAT: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960
Intelligent, adaptable, fast-witted, artistic, outgoing and charming, you get on well with DRAGON and MONKEY people...
OX: 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961
SNAKE and ROOSTER signs make good friends or partners for you. You're strong, loyal, trustworthy, steady, determined and very thorough.
TIGER: 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962
You get on well with HORSE and DOG people. You are brave, ambitious, confident, charismatic and enthusiastic, often with great leadership qualities.
RABBIT: 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963
You get on well with GOAT and PIG types. You are reliable, diplomatic, truthful, caring, sociable and able to empathise with others.
DRAGON: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964
RAT and MONKEY make good partners for you. You are imaginative, eccentric, artistic, adaptable, charming, spiritual and lucky!
SNAKE: 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965
You get on well with ROOSTER and OX! You are well organized. clever, elegant, decisive, thoughtful, philosophical and intuitive.
HORSE: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966
You get on well with HORSE and TIGER! You are loyal, brave, ambitious, smart, strong, adaptable and adventure-loving.
GOAT: 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967
PIG and RABBIT are great friends and partners for you. You are warm, charming, elegant, calm, tasteful, sensitive and have great intuition!
MONKEY: 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968
DRAGON and RAT make good friends and partners. You are witty, charming, lucky, versatile, bright, lively, clever and fun-loving.
ROOSTER: 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969
SNAKE and OX make great friends for you. You are honest, clever, confident, flamboyant, filled with energy and diverse and adaptable.
DOG: 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970
TIGER and HORSE are your kindred spirits. You are brave, loyal, hard working, reliable, adaptable, intelligent and full of fun!
PIG: 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971
You partner well with GOAT and RABBIT. You are kind, thoughtful, honourable, determined, sincere, outgoing and always optimistic.
Kung Hei Fat Choy... Happy Chinese New Year!
Cathy says:
Oooh... fascinating stuff, Suzanne! I'm a TIGER... very exciting! Is YOUR Chinese zodiac sign accurate? COMMENT BELOW to tell us!
Chinese New Year begins on 8th February, and is celebrated not just in China but in communities all around the world.
- On Sunday, New Year's Eve, clean the house to sweep away any bad luck remaining from the year gone by. It's fresh start time!
- Decorate the home with red paper lanterns!
- Have a family meal to see out the old year and welcome the new one, and to celebrate togetherness with family and friends.
- Eat fish for good luck, celery for wisdom, noodles for long life, plums for wisdom and sweets for a sweet year ahead!
- Wear new clothes!
- Give red envelopes containing money, for good luck!
- Set off fireworks or firecrackers to frighten away evil spirits!
- Go to see a dragon or a lion dance to welcome the new year!
What Chinese Zodiac sign are you? Check out your year of birth to see!
Intelligent, adaptable, fast-witted, artistic, outgoing and charming, you get on well with DRAGON and MONKEY people...
OX: 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961
SNAKE and ROOSTER signs make good friends or partners for you. You're strong, loyal, trustworthy, steady, determined and very thorough.
TIGER: 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962
You get on well with HORSE and DOG people. You are brave, ambitious, confident, charismatic and enthusiastic, often with great leadership qualities.
You get on well with GOAT and PIG types. You are reliable, diplomatic, truthful, caring, sociable and able to empathise with others.
DRAGON: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964
RAT and MONKEY make good partners for you. You are imaginative, eccentric, artistic, adaptable, charming, spiritual and lucky!
SNAKE: 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965
You get on well with ROOSTER and OX! You are well organized. clever, elegant, decisive, thoughtful, philosophical and intuitive.
You get on well with HORSE and TIGER! You are loyal, brave, ambitious, smart, strong, adaptable and adventure-loving.
GOAT: 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967
PIG and RABBIT are great friends and partners for you. You are warm, charming, elegant, calm, tasteful, sensitive and have great intuition!
MONKEY: 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968
DRAGON and RAT make good friends and partners. You are witty, charming, lucky, versatile, bright, lively, clever and fun-loving.
SNAKE and OX make great friends for you. You are honest, clever, confident, flamboyant, filled with energy and diverse and adaptable.
DOG: 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970
TIGER and HORSE are your kindred spirits. You are brave, loyal, hard working, reliable, adaptable, intelligent and full of fun!
PIG: 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971
You partner well with GOAT and RABBIT. You are kind, thoughtful, honourable, determined, sincere, outgoing and always optimistic.
Kung Hei Fat Choy... Happy Chinese New Year!
Cathy says:
Oooh... fascinating stuff, Suzanne! I'm a TIGER... very exciting! Is YOUR Chinese zodiac sign accurate? COMMENT BELOW to tell us!
I am a monkey!! It's accurate!
ReplyDeleteI'm a dog and I absolutely love them and I do have a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteI'm also not scared of things like spiders.
I don't think I am pessimistic and I try to see the best in people so I guess I am kind of optimistic.
I think my animal matches right up for who I am! (Well at least I think so!!)
ReplyDeleteI'm a Snake (oh no not sure about snakes argggh!!!) It's a bit like me but definitely NOT decisive! i'm soooo undecsive!
ReplyDeleteI really like learning about other culture's traditions like this, very cool :)
(Sophie M)
Where's 1998?
ReplyDeleteWell spotted Em! Have edited... if you're 1998, you're a tiger! xxx
DeleteI am a rooster! Yeah! It totally matches my personality- well, kind of!
ReplyDeleteI'm a monkey! Well I will admit, my brother is more of a monkey than me. I would much rather be a dragon!!! Did you know there the only animals in the Chinese New year to be lucky. I'm not lucky but I still wanna be a dragon!!! ROAR! R.B
ReplyDeleteI am a monkey... not accurate but I still love a that stuff!
ReplyDelete