CHINESE NEW YEAR 2014

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CHINESE NEW YEAR 2014


A bit of history...

According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Years started with the fight against a mythical beast called the "Year". The "Year" looks like ox with lion head and it stays in the sea. At the night of New Year's Eve, the "Year" will come out to harm people, animals, and proprieties. Later people found that the "Year" is afraid of red color, fire, and loud sound. Therefore, for self protection, people form the habit of posting red Dui Lian in front of the house, launching fireworks, and handing lantern at year end.

Traditions...

 Dinner
The New Year's Eve dinner is the most important dinner for Chinese. Normally this is the family reunion dinner, especially for those with family member away from home. In the New Year's Eve dinner, normally fish will be served. Dumplings are the most important dish in northern china. These two dishes mean prosperous. Other dishes are depending on personal preference. The majority of Chinese will have New Year's Eve dinner at home.


Cleaning
A few days before the Chinese New Year, people will do a complete cleaning of the house and house ware; means get rid of the old and welcome the new. In old days when bath is not often, people will normally take a throughout bath to welcome the New Year.

 Decoration
After the cleaning, Chinese people will decorate the house to welcome the New Year. Most of the decorations are red in color. The most popular New Year decorations are upside down fu, dui lian, lantern, year paint, papercutting, door god, etc..
Fireworks
Fireworks are used to drive away the evil in China. Right after the 12:00PM of the New Year's Eve, fireworks will be launched to celebrate the coming of the New Year as well as driven away the evil. It is believed that the person who launched the first Fireworks in the New Year will get good luck.
Chinese New Year in 2014...

This year is the Year of the Horse, falls on 31 January.
This year's festivities will take place on Sunday 2 February in Central London, specially in Trafalgar Square and Chinatown.

London’s Chinese New Year celebrations are the biggest in the world outside China. The event will start around 10am, when hundreds of thousands of people meet in Trafalgar Square, where the traditional opening ceremony takes place.

It's followed by an eclectic programme of that lasts until 6pm. The entertainment is likely to feature music, dance, lion dancing and acrobatics, and usually culminates in a fireworks display.
There are plenty of activities and celebrations to get involved in, and Chinatown itself will turn into a new place with New Year-themed decorations, special menus and events at its 100-odd restaurants, bars, cafes and shops and all sort of food and craft stalls colonizing the streets. 

2014 is the Year of the Horse. The Chinese horoscope tells us that those born in 'horse' years are cheerful, skillful with money, perceptive, witty, talented and good with their hands (or hooves). So if you were born in in 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990 or 2002, then this is a great excuse for a pony party. But do plan ahead if you want to celebrate in one of Chinatown's restaurants – they get booked up early.

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