The Chinese New Year is celebrated by Chinese communities throughout the world. It’s traditionally a time for family, friends and loved ones to see one another, exchange gifts and share a big, extravagant meal. The Chinese New Year celebrations in Pattaya include a public parade with lion and dragon dances, fireworks and firecrackers.

Food plays a big part too and the streets are lined with stalls selling speciality foods and drinks. The Chinese New Year also celebrates the imminent arrival of spring and this is the time for new starts, so it is traditional to settle old debts and set children off to a good start to the year with gifts of money given in small red envelopes.

February 7 is the start of the Chinese New Year and this year it is the start of the 12-year lunar cycle and is the Year of the Rat.

According to legend animals were invited to the Jade Emperor's party and the first 12 animals to arrive were the Rat followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and the Pig. Thus the naming of the 12-year cycle governing Chinese life.

Being born in the Year of Rat suggests that you are ambitious, creative, hard-working, fastidious, sociable and a smooth-talker, but can be a bit mean when it comes to sharing with others.

The Year of the Rat should yield numerous opportunities in both business and private life with the year being relatively trouble-free, maybe a good year to make sound financial investments. It is also a good year to socialise and spend time with friends and family.

Previous rate years are:
Feb. 18, 1912-Feb. 5, 1913
Feb. 5, 1924- an. 24, 1925
Jan. 24, 1936-Feb. 10, 1937
Feb. 10, 1948-January 28, 1949
Jan. 28, 1960-Feb. 14, 1961
Feb. 15, 1972-Feb. 2, 1973
Feb. 2, 1984-Feb. 19, 1985
Feb. 19, 1996-Feb. 6, 1997

Famous Rats are:
Claude Monet - artist
George Washington - first US President -
HRH Prince Charles
Doris Day - singer/actress
Sean Penn - actor/director
Antonio Banderas - film actor
Olivia Newton-John - singer/songwriter/actress
Samuel L. Jackson - actor
Mozart - composer)
William Shakespeare - playwright)

Happy New Year

Balcony waiters at the Year of the Pig Party (2007)