The Chinese New Year marks one of the most significant cultural events on the international calendar.

A time of great celebration involving copious amounts of eating, dancing and having fun, Lunar New Year traditionally sees hundreds of thousands of people take part in the multitude of activities on offer.

The Year of the Ox is coming to an end on January 31. On February 1 it will be the Year of the Water Tiger, with the Tiger being known as the king of all beasts in China.

The zodiac sign Tiger is a symbol of strength, exorcising evils, and braveness.

Lunar New Year

Tuesday, February 1 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 again thanks to Covid -19, many Chinese Australian families will celebrate together in the traditional sense on Chinese New Year’s Eve with a reunion dinner with family.

Fish in Chinese culture means abundance, it wishes abundant harvesting in the coming year. Lunar New Year celebrations should feature a fish dish.

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.

Chinese people greet one another with lucky sayings and phrases to wish each other health, wealth, and good fortune when they meet during the Chinese New Year.

Wearing a colourful new outfit is a tradition with these celebrations. Keeping this tradition of wearing something new is to remind us we’re doing better – better than the previous year.

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 receiving money in vibrant red envelopes from parents or a senior 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. The Lantern Festival, the 15th day of Chinese New Year, is also a big celebration being the closure of new year celebrations.

2022 – Year of the TIGER

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 – metal, wood, water, fire and earth.

This year is a year of the Tiger, in particular the Water Tiger, and starts from February 1 until January 21, 2023.

A Water Tiger year occurs every 60 years and the most relevant years of the Tiger include 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950 and 1938.

People born in a year of the Tiger are brave, competitive, unpredictable, and confident. They are very charming and well-liked by others. But sometimes they are likely to be impetuous, irritable, and overindulgent.

If you were born in any of the years above, then apparently this year is going to be a good year for Tigers to get married. Chinese Horoscope hints that single Tigers will have a big chance to find a boyfriend/girlfriend. Tigers at the age of 24 or 36 need to pay more attention to managing relationships as their luck in love will fluctuate in 2022.

Lucky colours for Tigers: orange, black and blue.

The horoscope says orange will help improve wealth fortune, black will help improve career development, and blue will help pursue happiness of love.

Regardless of your sign, who couldn’t do with a little more wealth, career development and love?