Chinese New Year 2009

Chinese New Year Lion DanceChinese New Year is on the 26th January this year! The day on which Chinese New Year falls in the Gregorian calendar changes every year because the Chinese calendar follows the lunar cycle.

If you are aged 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 or 96 this year, you are more likely than not to be born in the ‘Year of the Ox’! Those born in the Year of the Ox are said to dependable calm and hard-working.

Ox horoscope for the coming year:

You will be successful this year, realising your personal ambitions by hard work and patience. Life will become more settled, however you should take care not to let your good fortune get to your head as you will need to be flexible to deal with a few unexpected hurdles.

Chinese New Year Customs

Here are a few ideas on how to welcome the new year:

  • Get together with family and friends
  • Preparing and eating a Chinese feast, featuring lotus roots to signify plenty of food each year and black moss to signify good fortune.
  • Hang up fortune scrolls, with prosperous greetings and blessings written on them to ensure an auspicious New Year
  • Cleaning of the house before New Year to sweep out bad luck and welcome good luck.
  • Wearing new clothes and shoes to symbolise a new start
  • Don’t use scissors and knives early into the New Year as you may end up cutting your good luck short!

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