This year, the eve of Chinese New Year fell on February 18 and heralded in the year of the “Goat.” In Chinese Tradition there are 12 animals in the zodiac calendar that switch from year to year. The “Goat” is a symbol for an understanding and peaceful character with a good knowledge of human nature and a creative mind.

On the evening of February 18, the Chinese population returned home for reunion with their families. The whole ceremony lasts fifteen days. The first three days of Chinese New Year will be filled with “visitation.” Families will visit their immediate families and then move on to extended relatives and friends. It is a very festive period for the Chinese community with many people on the streets and multiple decorations hanging around. Dull or black colors are considered inauspicious. Generally, gold, red, bright orange and “happy colors” are encouraged and extremely popular.

There are a lot of traditions and customs which come along with Chinese New Year.
For example, it is understood to open windows and doors to let the luck in, to eat sweet food for making the New Year sweeter or to clean up the house so that the luck can find a place. On the other hand, it’s bad luck to cut your hair during the festive period, to talk about dead, or to sweep the floor on the first day of ceremony, because that would sweep the luck away. Festive greetings for good luck have people wishing “A smooth year ahead with abundance,” “Happy New Year”, or “May fortune, wealth and good health falls on your family.”
Happy Chinese New Year!
– Leica Internet Team