Chinese New Year

23 January 2012 - Chinese New Year is celebrated worldwide to mark the first day of the New Year in the Chinese calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar. It is also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year and celebrations can last for about 15 days.

The Chinese New Year for 2012 is on January 23 and marks the Year of the Dragon. Chinese New Year is the most important and longest of all Chinese festivals, celebrated in Chinese communities throughout the world. Chinese New Year celebrations have certain variations from country to country but they all usually include offerings to household deities, house cleaning, new clothes, a large banquet, ancestor worship and firecrackers. Families may gather for special meals on this occasion.
 
People may also wear red clothes and give children 'lucky money' in red envelopes. Household doors are thrown open to let good luck enter on the first day of the New Year. Families go out to visit friends and worship at temples. Words are carefully watched to avoid saying anything that signifies death, sickness or poverty.
 
Chinese New Year may also feature lantern festival, where people hang decorated lanterns in temples and carry lanterns to an evening parade. Dragon and lion dances are performed around this time of the year with many people supporting the long dragons, which are typically made of silk, paper and bamboo. Acrobatic demonstrations, the beating of gongs and the clashing of cymbals are also popular activities as part of the Chinese New Year festivities.

Source: Time and Date