• The Chinese New Year is an elaborate, two-week long traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the first day of the first moon of the lunar calendar.
• Celebrations for this holiday often include Dragon and Lion dances, fireworks and family gatherings.
• Historically speaking, the Chinese New Year Day was regarded as the only day of the year when China's hard-working peasants allowed themselves to rest.
• Delicacies enjoyed on Chinese New Year traditionally include prawns, for liveliness and happiness, dried oysters (or ho xi), for all things good, and raw fish salad or yu sheng to bring good luck and prosperity.
• 2009 is the Year of the Ox. The elemental sign for this year is Earth. Earth is a balance of both yin and yang. Its motion is inward and centering, and its energy is stabilizing and conserving.
• Red is the color of this holiday. It symbolizes fire, which the Chinese believe can drive away bad luck.
• Preparation for the New Year includes cleaning and sweeping, but if dirt's swept out the door, you could be sweeping your luck away. Traditionally, dirt gets swept toward the middle of the floor and then is carried outside.

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