Today’s New Moon marks the start of the Chinese New Year. The dates differ every year as the Chinese New Year is based on the Lunar Calendar and follows the cycle of the Moon. The start date is the second New Moon after the Winter Solstice on the 21st December. This Chinese New Year begins on 23rd January 2012. In the east, the festival celebrates the end of winter and the beginning of spring and the festivities last for 15 days.
There are many traditions associated with the Chinese New Year, the most famous being the gift of money in a red envelope, red being the colour of good luck. The gifts are passed to children or young people who aren’t married, along with blessings of good fortune, happiness, wealth and longevity. Another popular gift are tangerines and oranges, as their Chinese names sound like ‘gold” and ‘wealth’ respectively. The celebrations are colourful and vibrant, full of life and noise.
There are 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac and 2012 is the Year of the Dragon. It’s an auspicious year to be born, as in China the Dragon is the sign of the Emperor and the symbol of power and wealth. Here’s a quick guide to the Chinese zodiac with a brief prediction about what to expect in the Year of the Dragon.
Year of the Rat: 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008
– 2012 is best for: Making your dreams come true
Year of the Ox: 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009
– 2012 is best for: Communication and networking
Year of the Tiger: 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010
– 2012 is best for: Earning money through travelling
Year of the Rabbit: 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
– 2012 is best for: Healing and comfort
Year of the Dragon: 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
– 2012 is best for: Power; be fearless!
Year of the Snake: 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
– 2012 is best for: Changing jobs
Year of the Horse: 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
– 2012 is best for: A steady flow of prosperity
Year of the Sheep: 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
– 2012 is best for: New projects and investments
Year of the Monkey: 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
– 2012 is best for: An unexpected windfall
Year of the Rooster: 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
– 2012 is best for: Luck with the opposite sex
Year of the Dog: 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
– 2012 is best for: Hard work
Year of the Pig: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
– 2012 is best for: Fame or a career breakthrough
[photo courtesy of msn.com]
What a wonderful informative blog !
I love it.
Thank you Neil. Good luck with your astrology too!
My Pleasure, and looking forward to your Chinese New Year 2013 write up.
Thanks for that enlightening post Sally, am looing forward to my fame and career breakthrough this year!
Allison
Yeah, go Allison! Thank you for your lovely comment. Wishing you much luck, love and happiness.
best, Sally