Happy New Year! We at 8Asians.com would like wish all of our readers a Happy Chinese New Year! [EDITORS NOTE: Also, happy Korean New Year and Vietnamese New Year, which also use the same lunar calendars.] The first time I visited Taiwan, was in the fourth grade during Chinese New Year; I remember how festive things were, with fireworks, large dinner gatherings and being excited about getting hong bao’s. Chinese New Year is definitely the biggest holiday in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.
According to the Mercury News, those born in the Year of the Ox:
“resemble their namesake in their focus, patience and industrious work ethic. As the buffalo toils in agriculture, these people are comfortable in the garden and nature, but also consider their homes a sacred space of refuge. Neatness and order are of the utmost importance to them. They are extremely loyal and ethical, but can also be stubborn, temperamental and prone to keeping grudges.”
Sure, the idea that 1/12 of a population will share similar characteristics as those who were born in the same Lunar New Year completely ridiculous, and I have the same thoughts on the Western concept of people sharing the same zodiac sign.
For those who want to celebrate in San Francisco, the annual Chinese New Year Festival and Parade takes place on Saturday, February 7, 2009 at 5:15 pm. Please post in the comments section other New Year’s Festivals and Parades going on in the United States & Canada!
