Happy Chinese New Year

By Elizabeth Johnson Posted on February 8, 2016

Monday, Feb. 8, 2016 marks the beginning of the Chinese year. This is the year of the Fire Monkey according to the Chinese 12-year animal zodiac cycle. The Chinese New Year is the most important of the holidays for the Chinese. It is defined to be the first day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar.

Other Monkey years include: …1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004… If you were born then you’re a Monkey. Each Chinese zodiac year begins on Chinese New Year’s Day.

The new year, also known as the Spring Festival, is marked by the lunisolar Chinese calendar, so the date changes from year to year.

The festivities usually start the day before the New Year and continue until the Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the new year.