adminChinese New Year is celebrated across the world, with the biggest celebrations outside of Asia taking place in London. This year, Chinese New Year will be celebrated on Monday February 8, marking the start of the Year of the Monkey.
The new year, also known as the Spring Festival, is marked by the lunisolar Chinese calendar, so the date changes from year to year.
The festivities usually start the day before the New Year and continue until the Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the new year.
Each Chinese New Year is characterised by one of 12 animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac. This year it’s the Year of the Monkey, the ninth animal in the cycle. The next Year of the Monkey will be in 2028.
People born in the Year of the Monkey are characterised as quick-witted, curious, innovative and mischievous, but it is also believed to be one of the most unlucky years in the Chinese calendar.
Thousands of people are expected to mark the occasion in London’s Chinatown, where a parade traditionally takes place. It is expected to start at 10am, travelling along Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End before reaching Chinatown, but exact details are yet to be released.
In previous years the parade has included an official opening ceremony and entertainment such as acrobatics, traditional dance and music. — http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Online Reporter