Happy Chinese New Year Everyone! It is officially the "Year of The Rat". Festivities for the Chinese New Year started yesterday on January 25th. This part of the Chinese New Year is called the Spring Festival. The annual celebration is divided into three parts of the festivities:

1. Little Year which is celebrated from January 17th and actually last until the Gregorian (Solar) calendar date of New Years Eve.
2. Spring Festival which started on Saturday, January 25th and will end on Tuesday, February 4th.
3. Lantern Festival is held on February 8th with preparation beginning on February 5th.

As I write this post today on the 26th of January, we are celebrating "To the in-laws". On this day within the Chinese New Year, a married daughter would bring her spouse to her parents home with an offering of sweets and crackers. It is marked as a symbol of simplicity in small gestures of kindness.

• Each Day within the Spring Festival highlights an activity which is celebrated. Here are each of the dates:
• Saturday, January 25th: Spring Festival
• Sunday, January 26th: To the in-laws
• Monday, January 27th: Day of the Rat
• Tuesday, January 28th: Day of the Sheep
• Wednesday, January 29th: Break Five
• Thursday, January 30th: Day of the Horse
• Friday, January 31st: Day of the Human
• Saturday, February 1st: Day of the Millet
• Sunday, February 2nd: Providence Health
• Monday, February 3rd: Stone Festival
• Tuesday, February 4th: Son-in-Law Day
• In Chinese culture, rats are symbolic to wealth and represents the beginning of a new day (ying/yang).
• Rats in the Chinese zodiac are divided into five elements: Wood, Earth, Water, Fire and Metal. Each element has slightly different characteristics than the other but overall, rats tend to be quite successful people but also very peaceful in nature.
• The Chinese New Year is just one of several Lunar New Years that kicks off in Asia. Others included Japanese New Year (January 1st), Korean New Year (January 25th), Mongolian Lunar New Year (February 24th), Tibetan (Losar) New Year (February 24th) and Vietnamese New Year (January 25th).  
• People within mainland China call the festivities "Spring Festival", outside of mainland China it is referred to as "Lunar New Year" and most people of non-Chinese cultural backgrounds call it "Chinese New Year"
• Traditionally, Chinese families would prepare a big dinner and invite family to their home the day before the New Year starts. Houses are also cleaned thoroughly to allow good fortune in for the New Year.

Cheers,

Ms. Y