Chinese New Year 2012

The Chinese New Year 2012 enters the fifth sign of the Chinese zodiac which represents the dragon, making this the Chinese Year of the Dragon. It is a year that is believed to holds great promise for building wealth and for making life-altering decisions.

Since ancient times the mythical dragon has been a prominent feature of Chinese culture. The dragon is associated with power, strength, abundance, prosperity, and wisdom. It has often been used as the symbol of Imperial Authority and many Chinese proudly claim themselves to be "Descendants of the Dragon."

The dragon is seen as has having power over life-giving waters including rivers, seas and waterfalls. As such they are capable of creating rain clouds with their breath and legend has it that volcanoes were created when dragons burst out from under ground.

Benevolent in nature, the dragon is associated with many characteristics including:

* Good fortune
* Greatness
* Blessing
* Boldness
* Heroism
* Nobility
* Divinity
* Excellence
* Enthusiasm
* Decisiveness
* Optimism
* Intelligence
* Ambition

The Chinese zodiac is based on twelve animals, the Dragon being fifth on the zodiac calendar. The legend of the zodiac tells how the Jade Emperor of Heaven determined which twelve animals would be placed on the calendar. The Emperor challenged all animals to a swimming contest and promised a place on the calendar to the first twelve animals to cross the finish line.

The Chinese enjoy a rich culture steeped in tradition and the New Year is no different. Many aspects of the celebration contain deep meaning and significance. For example the dragon symbolizes power and prosperity.

In ancient times the dragon was believed to control the rains so essential to life. Ancient Chinese created the Dragon Dance in order to please the Dragon King. The Dragon Dance continues to be a highlight of the holiday and is performed during the parade on the final day of the New Year celebration.

The lanterns, which are hung around homes and featured in the Lantern Festival, hold the promise of blessings for the coming year. The colors used in the Chinese decorations and the foods eaten with family and friends are meant to remind those celebrating of ancestors, deities, and happy wishes for the coming year.

The 2012 Chinese New Year marks the Chinese Year of the Dragon. People worldwide will celebrate with the Lantern Festival and the Dragon Dance and each day of the two week holiday offers specific traditions for celebrating the New Year.

The Chinese New Year is different from the New Year that is celebrated throughout the world on December 31st. One reason is that the Chinese calendar is based on a lunar solar calendar which consists of a blending of the lunar and solar calendars. In 2012 the Chinese calendar will mark the year 4710 and will be celebrated on January 23rd.

The Chinese New Year is one of the most important holidays on the Chinese calendar. It is celebrated over a fifteen day period and is marked with traditions and customs. These include:

Cleaning: The Chinese home is to be cleaned before New Year's Day; however none of the dirt is to be put in the trash until the 5th day of the celebration. Getting rid of the dirt before the 5th sweeps away the good luck of the coming year. Instead, the dirt is swept into the corners of the living room where all family members take care to avoid stepping on it.

Greetings: It's uncommon in the Chinese culture to greet strangers; however during the New Year everyone greets one another with happy phrases such as, "Blessings for happiness and prosperity;" or if greeting a business owner you might say, "Prosperous business;" and "Spirit of horse and dragon" is a common New Year's greeting used to wish elderly strength and longevity.

Honor: The New Year is also a time for remembering and honoring ancestors and deities.

New Clothes: The ushering in of a New Year is celebrated with new clothes, especially in the happy and prosperous colors of red and gold. Even so, washing your hair on the first day of the New Year is believed to be bad as it washes away all the good luck for the coming year.

Good Attitude: Both your attitude and your appearance during the holiday are believed to influence the coming year. For this reason everyone focuses on happy, joyful exchanges and refrains from complaining throughout the fifteen day celebration.

Gift Giving: Gifts of candy, cookies and fruit are common gifts given during the Chinese New Year. Small red envelopes called lai see are also given throughout the celebration. Each envelop is to be filled with a crisp, new bill that is believed to bring good fortune during the coming year, which is why it is often referred to as "lucky money."

The explanation of what is the Chinese New Year could cover a range of topics including specific celebrations, foods, and customs. There are a number of great books available in stores and online that explain the Chinese New Year in more depth.