Chinese New Chinese New YearYear

January 31, 2014January 31, 2014

What is Chinese New Year?• Why isn’t Chinese New Year on January 1st?

• Chinese people follow the lunar calendar, so the start of the new year is the beginning of spring. This is why the Chinese New Year is also known as Spring Festival.

• Since spring starts on a different day each year, Chinese New Year is always on a different day. This year it is on January 31, 2014.

• Celebrations last for 15 days, with special events and activities in cities and countries with large populations of Chinese people.

• Chinese New Year is an important time to spend time with family – grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, and sisters!

How do you say “Happy New Year” in Chinese?• “Gung Hay Fat Choy” (goong hay faht

choy)• Traditional Chinese New Year greeting

(Cantonese)• Means “May you prosper”

• “Gong Xi Fa Cai” (gong-shee-fah-tsai) - Mandarin

2014: Year of the Horse

• According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2014 is the Year of the Horse

• 2013 was the Year of the Snake; 2015 will be the Year of the Goat/Ram

Chinese Zodiac• There are 12

animals in the zodiac

• Each animal represents one year, with different character traits for each

• Your zodiac animal depends on the year of your birth

Getting Ready for the New Year• Clean the whole

house• Buy new clothes

or shoes• Get hair cuts• Decorate the

house

New Year’s Foods• Oranges

• Symbolic for gold or wealth

• Chicken• “Good future” symbol

• Noodles• “Long life”

• Fish• “Surplus”

• Duck• “Family unity”

Family Traditions

• Clean the house• Eat a New Year’s

feast together• Give children red

envelopes (lai see)• Gifts of money for

the new year

More Traditions• The color red

• New Year’s decorations and clothes are often red because it is the color of good luck

• San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade

• Fireworks and firecrackers

Lion Dance

• The Lion Dance features loud drums and cymbals, and paired with the aggressive lion dancing, these are believed to drive away evil spirits and bad luck

Conclusion• Chinese New Year

traditions welcome the new year by spending time with family and hoping for good luck and fortune in the upcoming year