GONG XI FA CAI (Happy New Year!)

IT IS THE YEAR OF THE PIG!

The Pig

1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

People born in the Year of the Pig are gallant and courageous. Whatever they do, they do their full strength. There is no quit in Boar People. They have tremendous resilience and extraordinary honesty. Boar People are extremely loyal so considerate an honor when they befriend you. They do not talk much but have a desire to learn and obtain knowledge. They study a great deal and are generally well informed. Boar people are quick tempered, yet they hate arguments and quarreling. No matter how bad problems seem to be, Boar people try to work them out, honestly if sometimes rashly. They are most compatible with Rabbits and Sheep.

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.
The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.
The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.
The presence of the ancestors is acknowledged on New Year's Eve with a dinner arranged for them at the family banquet table. The spirits of the ancestors, together with the living, celebrate the onset of the New Year as one great community. The communal feast called "surrounding the stove" or weilu. It symbolizes family unity and honors the past and present generations.

February 18, began this Chinese Lunar Calendar Year. Our family got together and celebrated with our local FCC group. Here are some pictures of our sweet boys, Kai and AJ, celebrating Kai's heritage.

Enjoy!

With their beloved Po-Po

Sooooo sweet with his panda bear, a gift from his SWI.

I love this boy to pieces!

This is my favorite picture! My little Emperor!

Our little miracle baby, all dressed up and ready to celebrate CNY!