Today is Chinese New Year, at least in the U.S. In China, it was on Feb.4. But we live in America. So to start off, this year is the Year of the Pig. Fun fact, every sixty years a golden pig year happens, which in Chinese belief basically means if your baby is born in that year, he/she will have good luck. And guess what? It’s 2019 and a Golden Pig year has dawned. Not to be confused with the 2007 year of the red pig. But maybe your not interested in pigs but what people do in Chinese New Year.

The first is that many people return home, where they were born and their parents live. Secondly, people wear red because of its considered good luck. People eat a large feast filled with different symbolic foods. Then people give red paper packages filled with money or pencils to children and adults alike. People also clean their houses to ward away evil spirits. They also make loud noises to scare away evil spirits (don’t do it at school or you will get in trouble).

Second Fun Fact: Chinese New Year has no set date. It’s based on the Lunar Calendar, as a result, it always falls on a different day. so you know about how everybody wants to go home on Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year/Spring Festival? Well, as a result, it has become the largest human migration in the world.

Some taboos in Chinese New Year Include:

• Using scissors, knives and other sharp things
• Arguing, swearing
• Saying unlucky words (such as “death” and “sickness”)
• Breaking things
• Hair cutting (before Feb. 2)
• being born/ alive in your zodiac year

Some of these are very strange, and as a result, are only celebrated in Chinese culture. But one to notice is that existing during your zodiac year is bad luck. As a result, people wear a lot of red to combat bad luck. Another thing is that during your Zodiac year, you are more likely to be infested with demons. And that is it. 恭喜发财 (Happy New Year in Chinese).