Investment
Estate Planning: Staying in control
14 Sep 2018
February 12 is Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. It’s the first day of the new year in the Chinese calendar.
Noted as the most important holiday in China, Lunar New Year is traditionally a time to bring family together for feasting.
In many countries around the world, including Australia, celebrations for Chinese New Year include colourful festivals, events and activities.
Celebrating Lunar New Year
Chinese New Year has various symbols and traditions and it’s a colourful time of year indeed.
Whilst this year’s celebrations will be quite different from previous years, many Chinese Australian families will celebrate together in the traditional sense on Chinese New Year’s Eve with a reunion dinner with family.
Throughout Australian communities and homes where celebrations are taking place you would be likely to see decorations proudly displayed, namely in vibrant red and gold.
Flowers are an important part of New Year decorations and hanging lanterns are hugely popular.
Writings that refer to good luck are often seen in homes and business environments and many people wear colourful costumes to celebrate.
Restrictions permitting, street festivals and Chinese New Year markets are commonplace featuring entertainment, children’s activities and an array of arts, crafts and food stalls. It’s here you will find dancing and music as part of the Lunar New Year festivities, and sometimes even fireworks.
For the children, the tradition of giving money in vibrant red envelopes with gold embossed decorations is still strong. It is believed this will bring good luck, happiness, success and good fortune to those on the receiving end.
The Chinese New Year celebrations can last for about 15 days.
2021 – Year of the Ox
The Chinese calendar rotates in 60-year cycles based on 12 earthly branches, with each represented by one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, and one of five elements – wood, fire, earth, metal and water.
This year is a year of the Metal Ox, or cow, and starts from 12th February (Chinese Lunar New Year Day) and lasts until 31st January 2022.
The years of the Ox in the Chinese Horoscope are: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, and 2021.
If you were born in any of these years, then apparently this year is going to be lucky and perfect for you to focus on friendships or love relationships. The Ox is very hardworking and methodical. 2021 is going to be a year when work will get rewarded.
As this is a Metal year, for the second successive year, the colour of 2021 is white. Other lucky colours of the Ox include yellow and green, colours that attract prosperity and success in Feng Shui. It is believed to increase your luck you could wear metal accessories.
The Metal Ox year is also apparently great for making order in the family life. After all, if the family life is peaceful, everything else gets solved.
