Something to crow about…
Celebrating the Year of the Rooster

The Chinese New Year 2017 began on January 28th, marking the start of the Year of the Rooster. Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) dates back 2,000 years or more. It is one of the most important holidays in China and other Asian countries, similar to Christmas in the U.S.

The traditional Chinese calendar links an animal to each year and this year’s animal is the Rooster – the 10th in the 12-year cycle. (The cycle begins again every 12 years). According to legend, Buddha asked all animals to meet him on New Year’s Day to celebrate, but only 12 came – the: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep (ram or goat), monkey, rooster, dog and pig (or boar). To reward them, he named a year after each animal and New Year’s Day marks the start of a new animal’s reign.

Festivities begin the New Year

The first day of the first lunar month is Chinese New Years, according to the Chinese calendar (opposed to our familiar Gregorian calendar). But celebrations really start on New Year’s Eve, and it’s that meal that’s one of the most important. The meal symbolizes the bounties of prior year’s hard work, plus it’s an opportunity to greet the new year with family and friends. Gifts are bought, houses are cleaned (to sweep away bad luck), and people gather. Even those who live far away try to return home. Families enjoy many different dishes, but dumplings and a whole fish are two of the most important, because they represent wealth and prosperity. Occasionally a coin is hidden in a dumpling and whoever finds it will have wealth in the New Year.

Red lanterns, red envelopes and clothing …

Lanterns like this one symbolize energy and prosperity.

Red is the color of Chinese New Year and is associated with luck, energy and fortune. Traditionally people give red envelopes with money inside, though it’s the color of the envelope that’s important, not the money. And, the red and gold lanterns you see everywhere represent energy (red) and prosperity (gold).

The Year of the Monkey ends & Year of the Rooster begins

2016 Year of the Monkey Coin (left) & 2017 Year of the Rooster coin (right)

At midnight, firecrackers are set off to drive out the old year, 2016 Year of the Monkey, and welcome in the new, 2017 Year of the Rooster. On New Year’s Day, people visit friends and family, children receive red envelopes with money as gifts and the New Year begins.

Those born in 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 & 2017 are roosters. People under the rooster sign are said to be loyal, punctual (roosters crow to wake people up), kind-hearted, and hard-working. This is the 10th animal in the lunar cycle and one of the rooster’s lucky numbers is 8 according to Chinese tradition. With this auspicious number figuring prominently in the Chinese New Year, I’m sending you wishes of luck, fortune and prosperity in 2017.