Rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, pig, and dog. These animals seem so different, but one thing links them together; they are all Chinese Zodiacs. This is the year of the dog.

Chinese New Year is an exciting event for Chinese all across the world. It is one of the more famous Chinese holidays. It is a time to be generous, spend time with family, play with fireworks, and eat.

One of the traditions of the Spring Festival [Chinese New Year] is giving red envelopes full of money to friends and family, and red is a lucky color in Chinese culture. A tip when giving away these red goodies is to use new money; it is bad to give old, dirty money.

Furthermore, Chinese New Year is a great time to spend with family. It is the Thanksgiving of Chinese holidays: you have a huge feast with your family and friends filled with joy. Good omen for happiness and wealth are some of the reasons why certain food is eaten.

Here are some popular foods people enjoy during Chinese New Year:

Fish – Prosperity

Dumplings and Spring Rolls – Wealth

Noodles – Happiness

Sweet Rice Balls – Family Harmony

Mandarin Orange – Fullness

Rice Cake – High Income

However, the fun doesn’t stop with food because a big tradition of the new year is setting off fireworks. At 12 P.M. the Chinese night is filled with the loud popping and smell of gunpowder.

The Chinese version of the new year has some parallels and differences to our own. It’s a day filled with history and culture. So on Feb. 16, steam some dumpling and fish, pick your oranges, and light your fire crackers to ring in the new year.