Happy Chinese New Year to all. February 7, 2008 marks the start of the Lunar New Year celebration. Bye-bye, piggy! Welcome, Year of the Rat!
Chinese New Year begins on the first day of a new moon in the first month of the Chinese calendar. The new year ends 15 days later with the Lantern Festival, around the time of a full moon.
This holiday is known as Lunar New Year outside of China. It is a very important day throughout East Asia in countries that have had extensive interaction with Chinese over the centuries, whether geographically, such as in Vietnam or Korea, or because they have large ethnic Chinese populations as they do in countries such as the Philippines, Thailand or Indonesia.
The Chinese zodiac calendar works on a twelve year cycle with each year being represented by an animal. Last year was the Year of the Pig, this is Year is the Rat and next year will be Year of the Ox.
The Year of the Rat falls in 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032, 2044, 2056, etc. These don’t exactly line up with the Gregorian calendar, so for example, if you were born before the Chinese New Year (sometime between January 21 and February 20, depending on the moon) in any of those years, you are still considered to be born in the year of the Pig.
For more fun Year of the Rat gift ideas, please visit Unique Mouse and Rat Gifts.
Super-Dee-Duper Tuesday Primary Election Results
Posted by Kyle Design on February 7, 2008
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton won 9 states: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts.
Looks like everyone is excited about all the candidates this year. I read in the paper today that “You have to participate for it to be a Democracy.” I’m glad to see it in action. The Purple Dinosaur would be so proud.
If you’re looking for unique gifts, such as a Purple Dinosaur Night Light, Profiles ID Badge Holder, Elephant Wallet or American Flag Gum or Toothpick Case, then please click the links to see more. Visit Patriotic Gifts for other creative ways to express your renewed interest in politics.
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Posted in Events, Politics, Social Commentary, Unique Gifts | Tagged: Barack Obama, Election, Elephant Gifts, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Politics | Leave a Comment »