It’s not too late to celebrate the Chinese New Year, that began on Feb. 10, 2024 and continues for 16 days! The holiday is is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar and marks a time to remove the bad and the old, while welcoming the new and the good.
The Chinese Calendar “Year” was established during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) and became a custom in this dynasty to offer sacrifices to ancestors or gods, and to worship nature to bless future harvests. This year is the year of the Dragon, more specifically the wood dragon. The year of the Dragon is the only mythical creature in the list of Chinese zodiacs. Dragons are an important part of Chinese culture, symbolizing strength, power, wisdom, nobility, good fortune and success.
There are five different types of elements of dragons: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. People born in the year of the dragon are believed to possess qualities like intelligence and ambition, as well character “flaws” that might include arrogance and impulsivity. It is believed that visionary leaders, innovators, and problem solvers will emerge during this the Year of the Dragon and that 2024 will be a great year to start new projects, explore new opportunities and create value for yourself and others.
The Year of the Wood Dragon presents the unique combination of the dragon’s strength and the attributes of wood; this rare blend is seemingly a year filled with innovation, vision, and growth. Famous people who were born the Year of the Wood Dragon include Martin Luther King Jr., Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves, Shirley Temple and John Lennon.
Ways to celebrate the Chinese New Year:
- New Year’s Eve Dinner – Chinese families usually gather at family member’s home, not a restaurant
- Fireworks – it is believe that fireworks drive away evil
(Fire, loud sounds and the color red are believed to scare off Nian, a mythical beast that comes out to harm people, animals and property - Red Envelopes – money inside a red envelope is believed to keep evil and poor health away from the children, ensuring them a long life
- New Year Markets – festival markets are setup temporarily, mainly to sell New Year’s objects
- Cleaning – signifies the removal of the old and welcoming the new
- Decoration – after cleaning, the house is decorated with the color red in belief that this color brings good luck, prosperity, and wards off evil
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