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On the 1 st January of every year, many countries around the world celebrate the beginning of a new year. But there is nothing new about New Year’s. Actually, there are a ton of festivals and celebrations marking the beginning of the calendar. While some festivities were simply a chance to drink and be merry, many other New Year celebrations were linked to agricultural or astronomical observances. Back in the day in Egypt, the year began with the annual flooding of the Nile, which coincided with the rising of the star Sirius. The Phoenicians and Persians began their new year with the spring equinox, and the Greeks celebrated it on the winter solstice.

The first day of the Chinese New Year, meanwhile, occurred with the second new moon after the winter solstice, early February usually. However the festivities, seem to last the entire month!

I can attest to the Chinese New Year in February to be just awesome. Living in China for a year was wild, especially when the official PRC new year came around (PRC is People's Republic of China if you don't know) There is red EVERYWHERE and baijou flowing abundantly. Ohhhh baijou, an acquired taste. However the food!! The food in Guangzhou aka old Canton is unmatched - period. I never had a food regret in China, really, it was all so luxurious and decadent.

All this to say is that no matter how and when and even where it is celebrated, I can say with a smile that I have never had a bad New Years. It has been and will always be met with joy, expectation and hope for the future. So here's to health and prosperity in the new year - or in other words - 恭喜发财!