It's Chinese New Year - welcoming in the Year of the Rabbit!

Festivities for the Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, will start on 22nd January this year, with more than a quarter of the world's population celebrating as we move from the Year of the Tiger to the Year of the Rabbit. The celebrations last for around two weeks, with seven of these being public holidays in China. At the stroke of midnight firecrackers and fireworks are set off to scare away any evil spirits and to welcome in the new year.

The Spring Festival is the biggest celebration of the Chinese calendar with a great deal of cultural and historical significance. Families and friends in China and Chinese communities around the world will unite to wish each other peace and prosperity for the coming year, whilst enjoying food together and watching colourful parades. In China factory and city workers have already been returning home to spend the holiday with their extended families, with over 2 billion individual trips estimated to take place over the period.

As well as a traditional family reunion dinner being held on the eve of the new year, gifts and money in red envelopes are given to children (from newborns to teenagers) by more senior members of the family as a wish for a safe, peaceful and prosperous year ahead.

About the Rabbit

Legend has it that the Jade Emperor decreed that there should be a race amongst the animals and that the order in which they arrived at his palace would determine their place in the Chinese zodiac. As they neared the end of the race the animals approached a fast running river. The ox was in front along with the rat, who had cunningly hitched a lift on the ox's back. The tiger was next, with the rabbit hot on his heals.

Trying to cross the river on a series of exposed rocks, the rabbit slipped and fell into the water, but managed to grab onto a log and clung on for dear life. The log slowed to a stop in the river and the rabbit looked to be stuck until a sudden gust of wind blew the log towards the opposite shore, where the rabbit hopped off and crossed the finish line, coming fourth in the race.

Not long afterwards the Dragon descended from the skies to come fifth. It transpired that he had been delayed after helping local villagers to extinguish a fire threatening to destroy their crops. He also told the emperor that he had seen a tiny rabbit clinging to a log in the river and felt sorry for him, so had used his breath to push the log safely to shore!

Are you a Rabbit? Those born in the following years are under the sign of the rabbit: 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023

Rabbit character traits: Those born under the year of the rabbit are thought to be quietly confident with an inner strength. They show good attention to detail and, while they enjoy socialising, they can find it difficult to open up to others. They are also thought to be quick-witted, curious and patient.

About the Rabbit:
Lucky Colours: Red, Pink, Purple, Blue
Lucky Numbers: 3, 4, 6
Flowers: Plantain, Lilly, Jasmine
Most compatible with: Goat, Dog, Pig
Least compaticale with: Rooster, Dragon, Rat

Those born under the year of the Rabbit include: Albert Einstein, Angelina Jolie, David Beckham, Lionel Messi, Brad Pitt