This year, the Chinese New Year falls on 31st January so the Chinese will be saying goodbye to the Snake today and welcoming the Horse as the animal which will represent the coming year.
Festivities start today and will go on for about fifteen days in many Asian countries such as Taiwan and Thailand, not to mention China itself. There are many parades planned  where there is a large Chinese community in Europe too, in particular, in Paris and London.
Chinese families will have been busy for the last few days doing what in England is considered spring cleaning as the house has to be clean and tidy to start the new year. They will have bought new clothes and had their hair cut to be ready for the occasion. And of course, the housekeeping books should be in order, too. The traditional Lion Dance accompanied by gongs, cymbals and drums will be present at all the festivities, parading through the streets wishing shop and restaurant owners good luck for the new year and scaring away any evil spirits that might be around to bring them bad luck.
The festivities in London will be held this Sunday, 2nd February with a colourful parade led by the Lucky Money God starting at 10am that will be going along Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue and end up in Chinatown. The opening ceremony will be in Trafalgar Square at mid-day where there will be many visiting Chinese artists performing dances and acrobatics all afternoon. There will also be many local artists performing in Chinatown, dancers and musicians, as well as the Lion Dance and the streets will be lined with craft stalls and food stands.
Sounds like a great day to be in London? Last year the event attracted around 500,000 visitors!
Happy New Year Chinese style!