I don't really know much about Chinese New Year or Spring Festival except that it's very important for the Chinese, where ever they are, but it gets a mention in the Almanac for today.
The date of the Chinese New Year is calculated by the date of the Lunar New Year, which falls at some point between 21st January and 20th February. Celebrations start on the New Year's Eve and finish with a Lantern Festival on the 15th day and include dragon dances, lion dances and fireworks.
Customs and traditions include thoroughly cleaning your house before New Year but not sweeping on New Years Day in case luck is swept away. Windows and doors are decorated with red paper cut-outs and money given in red envelopes.
The Chinese zodiac is a twelve year cycle with each year being represented by an animal. This year is the year of the Horse (it says Fire Horse in the Almanac book)
Rat 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Ox 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Tiger 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Rabbit 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Dragon 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Snake 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Horse 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Goat 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Monkey 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Rooster 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Dog 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Pig 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
I was born in 1955, the Year of the Goat - which I reckon explains a lot!.
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