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Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar and begins with the appearance <br /> of the second new moon after the winter solstice. It runs for 15 days and is rich <br /> in family and community traditions. Because a lunar year is about eleven days <br /> .>° shorter than a solar year, the dates for Chinese New Year change slightly from <br /> one year to the next. <br /> For children this is an especially exciting time. Parents and grandparents give <br /> them little red envelopes called `hong bao" which contain money. These envelopes <br /> are supposed to confer monetary success on the children who receive them. The <br /> number five is considered lucky so the recipient might, for example, get $5.25. <br /> Amounts with the number four are avoided, as the pronunciation of the Chinese <br /> word for "four" is too similar to the pronunciation of the word for "death." <br /> Traditional dragon, lion and ribbon dances are also performed in public places <br /> during Chinese New Year. These dances are believed to chase away bad spirits. <br /> The lion dance in particular requires a lot of skill as two acrobats must work very <br /> closely together in order to perform the intricate movements. <br /> The Chinese New Year holiday shares many similarities with Christmas celebra- <br /> tions here in The West. Families get together to spend time with one another, ex- <br /> change presents, and to eat dumplings. The preparation of the dumplings is very <br /> labor intensive and is considered a communal activity among Chinese women. <br /> Some of the dumplings are prepared and cooked with coins inside. People who <br /> eat a dumpling containing money will also be lucky in the coming year! <br /> The first day of Chinese New Year it is customary for people to wear new clothes, <br /> usually socks and a new shirt or sweater. The color red is considered propitious. <br /> Much in the same way that many people in The West believe in the signs of the <br /> zodiac, the Chinese people follow a calendar that is based on a twelve-year cycle. <br /> Every person's birth year is represented by an animal and people are considered <br /> to have certain personality characteristics depending on the year of their birth. <br /> The twelve animals of the "Chinese zodiac" are, in order, the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, <br /> dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. 2010 is the year of the <br /> tiger and 2011 will be the year of the rabbit. Pairings of husbands and wives or <br /> boyfriends and girlfriends are considered more or less favorable based on whether <br /> or not their birth years are compatible. - <br />