Chinese New Year 2023: Jan. 22, Year of the Rabbit.

by holidayconnections

Chinese New Year 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, more specifically, Water Rabbit, starting from January 21st, 2023, and lasting until February 5th, 2023. Preparations of cleaning, and shopping start since January 14th.

Zodiac Rabbits’ Personality: Quiet, Elegant…

According to Chinese astrology, Rabbits are predicted to be gentle, quiet, elegant, and alert as well as quick, skillful, kind, patient, and very responsible, sometimes reluctant to reveal their minds to others and having a tendency to escape reality, but always faithful to those around them. [https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/rabbit.htm#personality]

In the United States, you might find students will be absent during this holiday, as it is important to follow the traditions and celebrations of each day with family at home, including:

Jan. 21^st. A family dinner, and staying up until midnight.
Jan. 22^nd. A day for visiting/greeting family and relatives, giving presents, and visiting ancestors’ graves.
Jan. 23^rd. Married women visit their parents with their husbands and children.
Jan. 24^th. An ominous day, common to stay at home and rest with family, play games.
Jan. 25^th. An auspicious day, for prayer and giving offerings, or going to temples.
Jan. 26^t. Commonly accepted as the day when taboos (from previous days) can be broken.
Jan. 27^th. A day to get rid of old, unwanted things.
Jan. 28^th. Believed to be the day people were created. Encouraged to spend out in nature.
Jan. 29^th. Good weather on this day will symbolize good crops for the year. Many families will have a second ‘mini’ reunion dinner.
Jan. 30^th. On the ‘Jade Emperor’s birthday, giving offerings, lighting incense, and setting off firecrackers.
Jan. 31^st. The birthday of the ‘god stone’, similar to the previous day’s rituals.
Feb, 1^st. Fathers ‘entertain’ or treat their sons-in-law on this day.
Feb. 2^nd – 4^th. Preparations for the lantern festival: cooking, making lanterns, etc.
Feb. 5^th. Marks the end of the festival. Lanterns are lit and hung or flown, people watch dragon dances in the streets, and children answer lantern riddles.