Happy New Year? What? Did I imbibe a bit too deeply of mango
daiquiris on the 31 December and miss the big event?
Actually I’m talking about Chinese New Year, also known as
Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival. The day heralds the arrival of the first
solar term in the Chinese calendar and is officially the end of winter. It
falls on the second new moon after winter solstice, which is why the date
changes each year. In comparison to the Gregorian calendar it usually falls
between 21 January and 20 February. The traditional greeting is Kung Hei Fat
Choi, literally meaning ‘may you be prosperous!’
