Chinese New Year is observed as a public holiday in a number of countries and territories where a sizable Chinese population resides. Chinese New Year is the main holiday of the year for more than one quarter of the world's population. It is the most important and longest holiday in China.

Chinese New Year is the first day of the lunar calendar, so it is also called the Lunar New Year. Chinese New Year is celebrated with a sumptuous family meal, and kids are given lucky money in red envelopes. It is usually celebrated with firecrackers (a fine Chinese invention), Chinese dragon dances and lion dances.

Chinese New Year is celebrated on a different date each year. Chinese New Year is a 15-day observance, but it is more often squeezed into a week-long celebration, focusing on food, family and communal bonding. Did you know that is one of the most celebrated festival in Hong Kong. Chinese New Year is celebrated with visiting of relatives and friends. Chinese New Year is a very old celebration, a time for repaying debts, enjoying feasts, giving "red envelopes" of lucky money to friends and relatives, and remembering ancestors.

Chinese New Year is celebrated this year on February 7, 2008. Chinese New Year is also the time for socializing. The second day of the Chinese New Year is for married daughters to visit their birth parents. The Chinese New Year is celebrated as the symbol of spring's celebration. The first thing people do on Chinese New Year is offering ritual homage to one's ancestors. The Chinese New Year is very similar to the Western one, rich in traditions, folklores and rituals. One of the most popular events highlighting Chinese New Year is the lion dance.

Chinese American stores in this country do not close for a week to celebrate, nor is likely that a Chinese American could take two weeks off from work. While Americans, if we're lucky may get Christmas Eve day and Christmas Day off, and Europeans may take a whole week holiday, Chinese New Year festivities officially last for fifteen days!

Decorations

The color red is liberally used in all decorations. Decorations of the incoming zodiac animal are also displayed. Homes are decorated with flowers and paper decorations stating wishes of prosperity, good luck, happiness, good fortune, wealth, and longevity for the coming year.

Pig

Each year is also designated by one of the 12 AnimalsFor instance,

• 2005 was Year of Rooster
• 2006 was Year of Dog
• 2007 was the Year of Pig.

2008 is the Year of the Rat,. Since 2008 is the Year of the Rat, anyone who was born in the Year of the Rat is now either 1 or 13, 25, 37, 49, 61, 73, 85 or 97 years old. For rats in 2008, any recent setbacks or obstacles can be overcome, so look forward to a year in which to really shine, either personally or professionally.

The Chinese New Year is here and there's celebration in the air. Celebrated internationally, Chinese New Year is the most important holiday of the Chinese people, and many East Asians such as Mongolians, Koreans and Vietnamese who have holidays, which fall on the same day.