Today is Chinese New Year which is the most important date in the Chinese calendar. In China, New Year is the longest national holiday, lasting a total of fifteen days.
2015 is officially the Year of the Goat but some see it as the Year of the Sheep instead because the Chinese character that depicts the animal can be translated as either a goat or a sheep.
The date of the Chinese New Year changes each year because it is based on the Chinese lunar calendar and falls on the second new moon following the winter solstice. This means that New Year can be anywhere from the 21st January to the 19th February.
London has one of the largest official celebrations outside of Asia and these are taking place on the 22nd February this year in Trafalgar Square and there will also be a parade through the West End.
In China, New Year is celebrated with parties, dragon dances, parades and dinners. The colour red is used extensively in decorations and clothing for New Year and you’ll also see a lot of fireworks because both of these are traditionally said to scare Nian, the mythical monster associated with New Year.
If you would like to celebrate Chinese New Year with us at Chef & Spice then we have a number of delicious Chinese dishes including Chinese Stir Fry and Chicken Manchurian.