Happy Year of the Water Dragon!

Just a quick post to wish everyone who celebrates the Lunar New Year a good year ahead!

For those not familiar with the tradition, the Lunar New Year marks the start of a new year in the lunar calendar. This is a calendar based on the movement of the moon.

The name in Chinese, 農曆, literally means the farmer’s calendar. This is because this calendar also marks the agricultural calendar based on the seasons (using traditional farming methods, without the help of modern science).

Although this is also often called the Chinese New Year, it is by no means celebrated only by the Chinese. I believe it is also celebrated by the Koreans, for instance. Yet, it is also not right to call it the “Asian New Year” as not all Asians observe the lunar calendar and, consequently, the Lunar New Year.

As for the Chinese Zodiac associated with each year, suffice to say there are twelve signs in all. There is a myth behnind how these twelve were chosen, but I’ll not go into it. In addition, each year and sign is associated with one of five elements – Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth.

With the start of a new lunar year, we enter the Year of the Water Dragon. The geommancers and astrologers will have a list of predictions associated with this particular sign.

There are, naturally, many traditions and customs for this, the biggest festival for at least the Chinese. Essentially, it is about family and reunion, much as Christmas and Thanksgiving are for those who celebrate them.

If you would like to know more, please feel free to ask and I’ll try to answer as best as I can.

For those who celebrate this festival, I hope you have a great time and collect lots of hongbaos!

[My LNY mani is Picture Polish Vegas with "gold dust" tips using Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow.]

Tweet