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Chinese New Year 2015

Chinese New Year C 19 February 2015Chinese fire cracker

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival (春), is an important festival celebrated by the Chinese communities around the world.
Legend has it that the celebration of Chinese New Year started with the victory over a mythical beast called the Nian. The Nian would come on the first day of New Year to eat livestock, crops, and even villagers (especially children). The beast was believed to be afraid of the colour red, so red lanterns and scrolls were hung on windows and doors, and fire crackers were used to scare the Nian away.

It’s the Year of the Goat!
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According to the Chinese astrology, each year is associated with an animal sign, occurring in a 12-year cycle, starting with the Year of the Rat and ending with the Year of the Pig.The Goat is the 8th animal of the 12 zodiac signs, and people born in a year of the Goat are believed to be kind-hearted, creative and low-profile achievers.

Click here to find out your animal sign.

A time of celebration..

Celebrations traditionally start from the eve of Chinese New Year and runs till the 15th day of the Lunar calendar.

CNY Eve C Families get together on this day for Reunion Dinner. Dishes signifying wealth and abundance are generally served, such as dumplings, fish, black moss with dried oyster and glutinous new year cake “nian gao”.

Chinese dragon

1st Day C This is a day for families to honour and visit their elders, starting with the most senior member in the family. New clothes and shoes are worn to symbolise a new start. Lion and dragon dances are also arranged on this day to evict evil spirits.
During the visits, it is customary to exchange mandarin oranges as they are associated with good fortune, and the famous red packets known as “lai see” or “ang pow” are also given to children as a form of blessings.

7th Day C Traditionally known as “ren ri” (common person’s birthday), this is the day when everyone grows one year older. In Southeast Asia, this is the day when families and friends get together to toss raw fish salad “lo hei” for continued wealth and prosperity.
(For employees in Singapore, please join us for an “a-meeh-zing” Chinese New Year celebration and “lo hei” at MBFC)

Chinese lantern15th Day C Also known as the Lantern Festival, families will walk the street on this day carrying lighted lanterns and get together for rice dumplings “tang yuan”. It marks the end of the Chinese New Year festivities. In China, Malaysia and Singapore, this day is also celebrated as the Chinese Valentine’s Day.

Chinese New Year is a time to reconcile, forget grudges, and EMBRACE each other to usher in the new year.
Wishing you all a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year!

Gong Xi Fa Cai (恭喜发财, Mandarin)
Kung Hei Fat Choy (恭喜l, Cantonese)
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