Gong Hay Fat Choi! – Happy Chinese New Year of the Tiger!
Gong Hay Fat Choi! is using the Latin alphabet to describe the sounds of “Happy New Year” in Chinese. In 2022 it officially starts on January 31st. to February 6th.
Whether at school or at home I hope this brief blog on Chinese New Year encourage you to take one story, one color, one activity, one food group and turn it into a Fiesta in the making.
The Chinese New Year follows the Lunar calendar, and each year is represented by an animal of the Chinese Zodiac. This year of 2022 it is the Year of the Tiger. People born under the tiger year are brave, competitive, charming, unpredictable, stubborn, and confident. They are well-liked by others. But sometimes they are likely to be impetuous, 
irritable, and overindulgent.
Tiger People’s Fortune:
Lucky numbers: 1, 3, and 4 and numbers containing them (like 13 and 43) Lucky days: the 16th and 27th of any Chinese lunar month Lucky colors: blue, gray, orange Lucky flowers: yellow lily, cineraria Lucky direction: east, north, south Lucky months: the 3rd, 7th, and 10th Chinese lunar months.
Unlucky numbers: 6, 7, and 8 and numbers containing them (like 67 and 87)Unlucky color: brown, Unlucky direction: southwest, Unlucky months: the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 11th Chinese lunar months.
Chinese New Year Costumes and Etiquette.
Pre-New Year Celebration, families pray to ancestors and gods for fortune and a successful harvest. Clean House, Shop for New Clothes.
New Year’s Eve, decorate the house with red paper couplets of good wishes for the new year, offerings of meat, wine, to eat later. Family dinner with dishes that have lucky meanings such as fish, dumplings, sticky rice cake, and spring rolls. Give “lucky Money” red envelopes to those that are not married. Family stays up late to light firecrackers at midnight! or see official fireworks at a park, and go to visit a temple afterwards.
New Year’s Day, family wear new clothes, younger generation to visit their elders, and wish them health and longevity. Lion Dances are performed outside businesses to bring good luck in the new year.
On Day 15th. day, families celebrate the “Spring Festival” also known as the “Lantern Festival” because people attach prayer notes to a paper lantern, lit them, and send them into the air or float them on water. This is the last day of the Chinese New Year celebration.
Chinese New Year 
Day Taboos. Don’t wash your hair or clothes, don’t say words like death, don’t knit with needles, don’t sweep.
Chinese Spring Festival Taboos: Don’t cry, don’t use scissors, don’t kill [animals], don’t wear black or white clothes, don’t lend or borrow money, don’t visit hospitals, don’t use odd number of meals or money.
Children Book you might want to read!
