Chinese New Year

Today marks the start of 2019's Chinese New Year - a time for many to welcome luck and good health for the next twelve months. This year is the zodiac year of the Pig, but what does that mean and how can we celebrate?

Lanterns in Hong Kong

The Pig is the twelfth of the zodiac animals - the order of which was apparently decided by the Jade Emperor. Pig turned up late to his party, so was therefore the last animal to appear in the zodiac calendar.

But, despite the Pig being late in various versions of this story, (once because he overslept, another because he had to rebuild his house after a wolf blew it down - you know the one) the Pig still symbolises wealth and good fortune for Chinese New Year.

So, you lucky people born in the Year of the Pig, (1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007) this year could be your year!

According to traditional superstition, the Chinese believe it is bad luck to shower right before the start of Chinese New Year, just in case you wash away the good luck the new year has in store.

The day before the Chinese New Year begins, there is traditionally a dedication to sweeping the floors and clearing out rubbish - to rid your lives of the old bad luck to make way for the new.

Yesterday, my housemate and I cleared out a bag of old clothes that we no longer wanted, and de-cluttered the house from top to bottom (very Marie Kondo). Now, our house is shiny and clean - just in time for Chinese New Year!

Whilst we may not be given the traditional red envelopes with money in that people receive as part of the festival, there are ways that we can celebrate Chinese New Year in the UK.

The two weeks of Chinese New Year, otherwise known as Spring Festival, give way to tonnes of celebrations for people to take part in worldwide.

In London, the biggest day of celebration is set to be February 10th, where a street parade will take place between Shaftsbury Avenue and Trafalgar Square. Here, lanterns, floats, dragon dancers and music will all play a part in tribute to the Chinese festival.

As well as this, expect to see all sorts of light and colour bursting from Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool and Bristol, who will be sharing authentic Asian cuisine and filling their streets with giant pig sculptures covered in coins for good luck.

Kung Fu displays, fireworks and street parties - all set to take place this year in the hope of bringing luck and wealth for the rest of 2019.

To be sure you receive the luck you deserve this year, it might be worth considering the Chinese Taboos and avoid washing your hair, eating porridge for breakfast or wearing black and white.

Each of these actions, among many, are thought to bring bad luck and deplete the wealth you might receive in the foreseeable future. Washing you hair washes away the luck, eating porridge is apparently something only the poor do so we can't tempt fate to make us poor, and black or white are considered unlucky colours that are usually associated with funerals.

I find Chinese culture fascinating and love the fact that this festival is accepted and celebrated worldwide.

However you decide to welcome the rest of the year, I would say do so with care - you don't want to be handling odd amounts of money as it's an unlucky symbol of wealth.

Stick to red decorations full of prosperity and eating long noodles which symbolise a long life. Don't go taking any medicine today either, as it's believed that will bring you a whole year of illness.

Job done.

I wish you all a very happy Chinese New Year, and that luck and wealth are on your side.