Chinese New Year

Hi Puzzlers,

Here in the western hemisphere New Years Day is celebrated each year on the first day of January, but in the East, the Chinese New Year can happen any time between late January and mid-February. This happens because the Chinese calendar is based on tracking the ever-changing new moon, which results in this year Chinese New Year falling on February 3, 2011. It is the Year of the Rabbit. This eastern-based holiday is the equivalent of mixing our western Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day into one massive 15-day celebration.

Just like us, preparation for the holiday starts about a month in advance as people start buying presents, food and decorations. Ten days before the New Year's Day celebration the “Sweeping of the Grounds” or the annual housecleaning begins. Tradition states that every corner of the house must be swept and cleaned as a way to remove bad luck and negative energies.

Also very similar to western celebrations are the wearing of the color red and fire work displays. “One of the most famous legends is Nian, an extremely cruel and ferocious beast that the ancients believed would devour people on New Year's Eve. To keep Nian away, red-paper couplets are pasted on doors, torches are lit, and firecrackers are set off throughout the night, because Nian is said to fear the color red, the light of fire, and loud noises.”

“The lunar calendar has a sixty-year cycle. In the Chinese horoscope, the five basic elements of Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth, which make up all matter, are combined with the twelve animal signs of Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Lamb, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig to form the sixty year cycle. One's Chinese horoscope is based on which lunar year in this sixty-year cycle one was born.”

2011 is the year of the metal-rabbit. A rabbit year is a calming year, a year that allows one nerves to be soothed, to catch your breath and relax. We all need it after the tough tiger year of 2010.

Happy New Year!