Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4706 begins on Feb. 7, 2008.

Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.

A Ratty Year
Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in rat years tend to be leaders, pioneers, and conquerors. They are charming, passionate, charismatic, practical and hardworking. Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Affleck, Samuel L. Jackson, William Shakespeare, and Mozart were all born in the year of the rat.

Fireworks and Family Feasts
At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.

The Lantern Festival
In China, the New Year is a time of family reunion. Family members gather at each other's homes for visits and shared meals, most significantly a feast on New Year's Eve. In the United States, however, many early Chinese immigrants arrived without their families, and found a sense of community through neighborhood associations instead. Today, many Chinese-American neighborhood associations host banquets and other New Year events.

Chinese New Year ends with the lantern festival on the fifteenth day of the month. Some of the lanterns may be works of art, painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and scenes from legend and history. People hang glowing lanterns in temples, and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon.

In many areas the highlight of the lantern festival is the dragon dance. The dragon—which might stretch a hundred feet long—is typically made of silk, paper, and bamboo. Traditionally the dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets. In the United States, where the New Year is celebrated with a shortened schedule, the dragon dance always takes place on a weekend. In addition, many Chinese-American communities have added American parade elements such as marching bands and floats.

by Holly Hartman
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/chinesenewyear1.html

There are three ways to name a Chinese year:
1. By an animal (like a mscot). 2008 is known as the Year of the Rat.
There are 12 animal names; so by this system, year names are re-cycled every 12 years. More.
2. By its Formal Name (Stem-Branch).
This year is the year of Wu Zi.
In the 'Stem-Branch' system, the years are named in 60-year cycles, and the Name of the Year is repeated every 60 years.
2008 is the 9th year in the current 60-year cycle.
3. Current year is Year 4705 by the Chinese calendar.
[A few Chinese astrological/zodiac websites believe this year should be considered as Year 4706 for zodiac calculations.]

http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html

Replying to [Leosun]:

Thank of your Info

Wishing you have a very Happy Lunar new year 2008, Always Success in everything you're thinking and doing, wealth, good health to you and all your families.

Replying to [Leosun]:
Wish all have a wonderful and full harvest Gold Rat Year!

Replying to [Indra kurniawan]:
Dear Indra,
Thanks for your wishes!
May we all share together too.

Replying to [Joyce Tam]:
Dear Joyce,
GONG XI FA CAI for Year of Mouse!

Replying to [Leosun]:I jusspent Chinese New Year In Vietnam with
my wifes family ,Mixed Chinese and Vietnam was the best 2 weeks of my life