Some Pictures of New Year Activities Around GTS

January 23, 2012 ushered in the Year of the Dragon, considered the luckiest year in the Chinese Zodiac!

Chinese Calendar Year: 4710

The Asian Lunar New Year is celebrated by many Asian ethnic groups including Chinese, Vietnamese and Koreans. The Lunar New Year marks the start of the Spring season, with a celebration of family, friends, community, and wishes for good fortune.

The Lunar New Year is celebrated with loved ones, lots of special holiday food, and traditional music including drums and gongs. Family members and friends gather at each other's homes for visits during which they share large meals and gifts symbolizing fortune. According to tradition, Chinese and Vietnamese give each other "red-envelopes" with good-luck money for the New Year, and Koreans offer newly minted money as a symbol of auspicious and fortuitous beginnings. Before the New Year, houses are thoroughly cleaned to sweep away evil spirits that may be hiding and everyone buys bright new clothing to wear on New Year's Day.

Known as "Chuen Jie" (Spring Festival) in Chinese, "Tet Nguyen Dan" in Vietnamese, and "Sol" in Korean, the Lunar New Year is represented by a cycle of 12 years, each denoted by a different animal zodiac. This new year, the Year of the Dragon, is the fifth animal in the cycle and is considered the luckiest zodiac. A child born in the year of the Dragon brings luck to the entire family.  Traditionally, the holiday festivities start 22 days prior to the New Year and continue for 15 days afterwards. Lunar New Year parades in Asian communities are annual traditions across the United States and Canada.

Fun Facts about the Year of the Dragon:
Dragon Years: 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 (from January 23, 2012 – February 9, 2013)

Well-known People Born in Year of the Dragon: Joan of Arc, Susan B. Anthony, Florence Nightingale, Sigmund Freud, Mae West, John Lennon, Bruce Lee, Shirley Temple, Salvador Dali, Keanu Reeves, Orlando Bloom, Al Pacino, Calista Flockhart, Fats Domino, Gregory Peck, James Garner, Liam Neeson, Martin Sheen, Mary-Louise Parker, Raquel Welch, and many, many more!

Dragon Characteristics: Innovative, Enterprising, Flexible, Self-assured, Brave, Passionate, Conceited, Tactless, Scrutinizing, Quick-tempered.

Best Careers for Dragons: Computer analysts, Inventors, Engineers, Architects, Lawyers, Philosophers, Psychoanalysts, Brokers, Managers, Salespeople, PR People, Advertising agents, Officers in the armed forces, Campaigners, Politicians

 'Lunar New Year' In-Language:
- in Chinese: "Chun Jie" (Mandarin for 'Spring Festival')
- in Vietnamese: "Tet Nguyen Dan"
- in Korean: "Sol"

'Happy New Year' Greetings:
- in Chinese (Cantonese): Gung Hay Fat Choy (Wishing you get rich)
- in Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Nam Moi  (Happy New Year)
- in Korean: Sae Hae Bok Man Ie Ba Due Se Yo (Get lots of luck)

Lucky/Special New Year Foods:
-Chinese: Dumplings, Rice Cake (called Nian Gao)
-Korean: Rice Cake Soup (called duk-kuk)
-Vietnamese: Rice Cake 

(Banh Trung)