Happy Lunar New Year 恭贺新禧

Having begun this Monday (February 8), celebrations marking Year of the Monkey will continue for the next two weeks. Often referred to as “Chinese New Year”, the Lunar New Year is celebrated throughout Asia. In Vietnam, Lunar New Year is celebrate as Tết.

Animals from the Chinese zodiac are associated with each new year.. This year is the Year of the Monkey. The Chinese zodiac has a 12 year cycle, so the next  Year of the Monkey will be in 2028.

Fireworks, feasts, family reunions and parades are some of the well-known festivities associated with the Lunar New Year. However, there are a great many traditions associated with the Lunar New Year that are centuries old, such as the hanging of traditional ‘new years’ poems, cleaning the home, the receiving new clothes and getting one’s haircut.

If you are celebrating Lunar New Year, we wish safe travels and  much joy and prosperity this year! 恭贺新禧  Happy New Year!

Learn more about Lunar New Year:

Lunar New Year 2016: Facts, Dates, And Ancient Traditions (Huffington Post)

Stories about Chinese New Year (NPR.org)

Lunar New Year in pictures (BBC.com)

Photo credit: Poa Mosyuen, used with permission under Creative Commons license