First, A Few Facts…
When is Chinese New Year?Chinese New Year day falls on the first day of the first month of the year according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar. This is just the beginning of a 15 day celebration known as the Spring festival, marking the arrival of spring and the end of winter. In 2013, Chinese New Year falls on February 10th. It is the year of the Snake.
Legend Behind Chinese New Year
Like all traditional Chinese festivals, there is a legend behind the origins of Chinese New Year. This one involves a creature called a Nian - a ferocious beast with a huge mouth, capable of swallowing several people in a single bite. The Nian wreaked havoc in villages, destroying crops and hunting down villagers. According to different versions of the legend, relief from the Nian came only when an old man tricked the beast into disappearing, scared him off with loud noises, or threw a piece of sticky cake into his mouth.
Learn more about the origins of Chinese New Year
How to Prepare For and Celebrate Chinese New Year
Top 10 Chinese New Year Superstitions - What to do and what to avoid, from Rory Boland, About.com Guide to Hong Kong.
Food
Symbolic Chinese New Year FoodFood plays a major role in Chinese New Year celebrations. Learn more about the "lucky" foods people enjoy during the Spring Festival. Then, try some Symbolic Chinese New Year Recipes.
Tray of Togetherness - see a picture and learn more about this popular New Year custom.
Top Chinese New Year Food Days – find out what foods are eaten on certain days of the Chinese New Year
Fortune
How Does Chinese Astrology Work?There's more to the Chinese zodiac than figuring out your animal sign. Lisa Lu explains the origins of the Chinese Zodiac.
Rat, Monkey, or…What is Your Chinese Animal Sign?
Since the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year, figuring out which Chinese animal sign you were born under isn't quite as easy as determining your astrological sign using western astrology. Our About.com Guide to Astrology has a Chinese Calendar from 1900 onward to help you find your Chinese animal sign.
What does the Year of the Dragon hold in store for you?
2012, the Year of the Water Dragon, promises to be anything but dull. But what are the predictions for your specific animal sign? The About.com Travel Guide to Hong Kong and Macau provides a Guide to Chinese New Year horoscopes.
