Chinese New Year 2019

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OINK OINK! 
Chinese New Year is approaching. This year it falls on Tuesday 5th February. However, the festival period that spans 23 days begins on January 28th this year.

2019 is year of the PIG 

Mandarin Chinese 
Happy Chinese New Year is...

'xin nian (new year) kuai le (happy)'

Approximate pronunciation is (shin nee-an kwai le). Just remember the 'le' sounds like the French 'le'.

Image result for firecracker gif

The festivities begin with the Little New Year (28th Jan - 4th Feb), followed by Spring Festival (5th - 15th Feb) and then finally Lantern Festival (16th - 19th Feb). 

Laterns

Red is an integral part to Chinese New Year. Whether it's envelopes, lanterns or even firecrackers, this colour is associated with fortune and success. A possible origin for the luck red brings, involves a terrorizing beast named: Nian.

Chinese Lanterns
Click / tap here for a few traditions you can consider this CNY 

Are you a pig according to the Chinese Zodiac? Here are a few quick facts about the twelfth sign: zhū (pig).

1. Your sign is a PIG if you were born in these years: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, and 2007.

hanna barbera wolf GIF

2. The origins of the Zodiac are inconsistent. Some suggest the Jade Emperor had tryouts for guards. Perhaps he was having a party. There was a race regardless. Some say Pig overslept (relatable). Some say he had to rebuild his home after a wolf had destroyed it. Whatever the reason, Pig was last to join the race.

  Jade Emperor

3. If you were born in a year of the Pig, here are some lucky things for you...

Numbers: 2 / 5 / 8 (or together like 25 / 58 etc)
Colours: yellow / grey / brown / gold
Flowers: hydrangeas / daisies 

Image result for daisy gif

Peppa is joining the Chinese celebrations this year. The perfect pig to teach the little ones about traditions. She's getting a firecracker-feature-length too.

Image result for peppa pig chinese new year


Burberry's Chinese New Year campaign this year has divided opinion. It's fronted by two Chinese actresses and "togetherness" was the concept. Do we agree with people who've been saying it's creepy?

Burberry CNY

A Lego Lóng (Dragon)

Even Lego are releasing two new exclusive sets for the Chinese and Asia Pacific markets. New Year's Eve Dinner' and 'Dragon Dance' will be the first ever Chinese New Year as well as the first sets dedicated to a specific country / region. 

Chinese New Year's Eve Dinner

Cantonese Chinese 
The best way to wish prosperity and wealth among your work colleagues is... 

'Gong hei fat choy'
Red envelopes with a winning lottery ticket inside please.


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