Chinese New Year

I read this story at Penguin Dossiers site. On 22nd January 2004 the Chinese new Year started. It is not 2004 in the Chinese calendar. It is the year 4701. The Chinese calendar is very old!! Each year of the Chinese calendar has the name of an animal.4701 is the year of the Monkey. All the new babies in this year are monkeys! I was born 1987, which is the year of the Rabbit. So I am rabbit.

Before the New Year, Chinese people clean their houses and wash their clothes. Many people put red paint on their windows and doors. Red is the colour of good luck in the Chinese tradition. They usually get a haircut. At New Year they give red envelopes with presents of money. These are called Hong Bao which means red packet. They buy new clothes and have a big party called the "Festival of Lanterns". They sing , dance, and carry light.