2011, according to Chinese astrology, is the year of the Rabbit.  Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, starts with the new moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon, 15 days later.  On the last day, the celebration concludes with the Lantern Festival, which involves hanging festive lantern displays and a parade of children carrying brightly lighted lanterns.

The Chinese New Year falls on a different day each year because it follows the lunar calendar.  To make things more confusing, the Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements.  So this means, in order for the lunar calendar (which has a 29.5 days cycle) to balance with the solar calendar (our standard calendar), an extra month had to be inserted once every few years  (seven years out of a 19-year time cycle).  This is similar to the concept of adding an extra day on a leap year.

Celebration on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day usually involves family events such as reunion, praying and having dinner together.  More traditional celebrations will include performing rituals to honor the Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.

A common preparation before Chinese New Year involves doing a thorough cleaning of the home.  It is believed that if you do any household cleaning on the day of the new year, you are jeopardizing your luck for the whole year.  Moreover, if you need to dispose of any belongings such as clothing, furniture, or even getting your hair cut, you should do it before the day of the new year.  This belief symbolizes having a fresh start to a prosperous and healthy new year.  In other words, getting rid of all your past baggage will help you bring in the new year with a healthy state of mind.

The predominant color of Chinese New Year is red because it is believed to be the color of luck.  This is why the most common attribute of Chinese New Year is the red envelope.  A red envelope is simply a small, narrow envelope with money in it.  Traditional red envelopes are often decorated with gold Chinese characters like happiness and wealth, or cartoon characters of Chinese zodiac signs.  Red envelopes are usually given to younger generations by their parents, grandparents, relatives and close friends.

This year, Chinese New Year is on February 3, 2011.  So, are you celebrating Chinese New Year in one way or another?  Please share your stories with us by leaving a comment below this post.

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