Chinese New Year (a.k.a. Spring Festival)	What Is It? It's the beginning of the New Lunar Year, celebrated by the Chinese. There are 60 years per cycle, made of 5 cycles of 12 years each with a different animal for each of the 12 years.
When Is It? The dates vary depending on the Lunar Cycle. Celebrations last 15 days. Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the New Year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the New Year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.	Origin: Too old to be exact. The Chinese Lunar New Year is the longest chronological record in history, dating from 2600BC, when the Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac.

Philosophy: Chinese houses are cleaned from top to bottom, to sweep away any traces of bad luck; doors and windows are given new paint and decorated using themes such as happiness and wealth.It's usual to wear something red as this colour is meant to ward off evil spirits; black and white are associated with mourning. Families say greetings from door to door, first to their relatives and then their neighbors. Like the saying "let bygones be bygones," at Chinese New Year, grudges are very easily cast aside.New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are family celebrations, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. Traditionally, it is a religious ceremony given in honor of the family ancestors and gods. Presents are often given but are not the main focus of the holiday. The underlying message is one of peace and happiness for family members and friends.