For Girlawhirl traveling is more than just seeing the sites, it's an opportunity to immerse herself in different cultures and learn new customs. She's been around the world and witnessed many celebrations, but one she looks forward to year after year – whether she's home or abroad – is the Chinese (Lunar) New Year…
Girlawhirl loves the modern tradition of businesses shutting down and family members from all over the country heading home to spend time together for a few days for the Chinese New Year – something Girlawhirl really wishes would become a custom at home.
Chinese New Year – or Spring Festival – starts tomorrow, February 7th. Using the Chinese calendar, this year is 4706, not 2008, and it's the Year of the Rat or Wu Zhi. Since Chinese New Year usually begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice, the actual date changes every year, but it's usually sometime between mid-January and mid-February and officially ends fifteen days later on the night of the full moon. The Lantern Festival begins on the fifteenth night – as the moon rises – with traditional parades winding through Chinese neighborhoods all over the globe.
Girlawhirl's fascinated by how each year is said to carry the traits of the animal assigned to it. According to legend, Buddha asked all of the animals to join him one day but only 12 showed up. He named a year after each one of them and people born in those years are said to feature traits of that animal. People born in the Year of the Rat are ambitious and known as the hardest working of all the Chinese zodiac signs. Knowing the traits, Girlawhirl can definitely see how people like Prince Charles, Olympic Figure skater Sasha Cohen and Mozart were all born during years celebrating the Rat.
Girlawhirl's looking forward to another colorful, noisy and joyful Chinese New Year festival. There are spectacular fireworks displays and many customs, such as giving traditional gifts to bring good luck, like crisp bills (of different denominations) in red envelopes. The festival also honors family ties and ancestors and there are many traditional foods and ceremonies, all focused on starting the year off with positive thoughts, actions, and good wishes.
She can't wait to check out what local celebrations are going on in her city, and for the chance to wish all of her Chinese friends “Kong Hei Fat Choi” (translation: congratulations and prosperity in the new year).