As Oxford’s Chinese community prepares for celebrations, Jaine Blackman discovers why

Get your party frock back out, and perk up your January by celebrating the New Year all over again.

Next Friday, Oxfordshire’s 8,500-strong Chinese community will be welcoming the Year of the Horse.

“The Chinese New Year is the most important traditional Chinese holiday,” said Stephen Yeung, an administration officer at Oxfordshire Chinese Community And Advice Centre, in Princes Street, Oxford.

“It is as important to Chinese people as Christmas to English people.

“If possible, family and friends will gather from all over the country to celebrate the New Year together.”

Hundreds of Chinese people from Oxfordshire will have a public celebration with the wider community this Sunday, organised by Oxfordshire Chinese Community and Advice Centre (OCCAC) in Oxford.

Private celebrations will start on Thursday when people have their New Year Eve dinner (“Reunion Dinner”) together with their family and friends.

Mr Yeung, 59, said: “Some will make dumplings, some will have hot pot, and some will eat out in a Chinese restaurant.

“The New Year, also known as the Spring Festival in China, is the most important traditional festival, celebrated on the first 15 days of the year of the Chinese calendar.

“Traditionally, the festival was a time to honour deities as well as ancestors.

“Prior to the Reunion Dinner, a thanksgiving prayer offering to mark the safe passage of the previous year is held.

“Firecrackers were once lit to scare away evil spirits with the household doors sealed, not to be reopened until the new morning in a ritual called opening the door of fortune.”

It is also traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck.

Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of good fortune or happiness, wealth, and longevity.

On the first day of the New Year, people put on new clothes to symbolize the discarding of the old year and its misfortunes.

“Everyone is greeted formally with the saying of Kung Hei Fat Choy, which means wishing you prosperity,” said My Yeung. “Many married people also follow an ancient custom of giving Lucky Money (called hong bao in Mandarin or lai see in Cantonese). This is money placed in little red packets to children, unmarried adults and sometimes employees.

“People also put up their new luck-bringing papers. They are strips of red paper pasted on each side of the front door, across the lintel at the top or inside the house. These couplets which express wishes of good luck always have favourable words written on them.”

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Chinese Zodiac

The Chinese Zodiac uses 12 animal signs to predict people’s fortune. Find out which one you are and what your horoscope for 2014 is:
 

Years of the Horse – 11 Feb 1918-31 Jan 1919; 30 Jan 1930-16 Feb 1931; 15 Feb 1942-4 Feb 1943; 3 Feb 1954-23 Jan 1955; 21 Jan 1966-4 Feb 1967; 7 Feb 1978-27 Jan 1979; 27 Jan 1990-14 Feb 1991; 12 Feb 2002-31 Jan 2003; 31 Jan 2014-18 Feb 2015
There is leadership associated with this sign this year, so authority may increase, but stay away from gambling and speculations. There will be challenges ahead.
 

Years of the Rat – 18 Feb 1912-5 Feb 1913; 5 Feb 1924-23 Jan 1925; 24 Jan 1936-10 Feb 1937; 10 Feb 1948-28 Jan 1949; 28 Jan 1960-14 Feb 1961; 15 Feb 1972-2 Feb 1973; 2 Feb 1984-19 Feb 1985; 9 Feb 1996-6 Feb 1997; 7 Feb 2008-25 Jan 2009
The Rat sign is generally lucky and this year looks to be better than the past one.
 

Years of the Ox – 6 Feb 1913-25 Jan 1914; 24 Jan 1925-12 Feb 1926; 11 Feb 1937-30 Jan 1938; 29 Jan 1949-16 Feb 1950; 15 Feb 1961-04 Feb 1962; 3 Feb 1973-22 Jan 1974; 20 Feb 1985-8 Feb 1986; 7 Feb 1997-27 Jan 1998; 26 Jan 2009-14 Feb 2010
A good year for the Ox but avoid arguments and concentrate on completing projects.
 

Years of the Tiger – 8 Feb 1902-28 Jan 1903; 13 Feb 1926-1 Feb 1927; 31 Jan 1938-18 Feb 1939; 17 Feb 1950-5 Feb 1951; 5 Feb 1962-24 Jan 1963; 23 Jan 1974-10 Feb 1975; 9 Feb 1986-28 Jan 1987; 28 Jan 1998-15 Feb 1999; 14 Feb 2010-2 Feb 2011
Ups and downs for the Tiger this year but romance is in the stars.
 

Years of the Rabbit – 14 Feb 1915-2 Feb 1916; 2 Feb 1927-22 Jan 1928; 19 Feb 1939-7 Feb 1940; 6 Feb 1951-26 Jan 1952; 25 Jan 1963-12 Feb 1964; 11 Feb 1975-30 Jan 1976; 29 Jan 1987-16 Feb 1988; 16 Feb 1999-4 Feb 2000; 3 Feb 2011-22 Jan 2012
Romance is well-starred but there could be run-ins with those in authority.
 

Years of the Dragon – 3 Feb 1916-22 Jan 1917; 23 Jan 1928-9 Feb 1929; 8 Feb 1940-26 Jan 1941; 27 Jan 1952-13 Feb 1953; 3 Feb 1964-1 Feb 1965; 31 Jan 1976-17 Feb 1977; 17 Feb 1988-5 Feb 1989; 5 Feb 2000-23 Jan 2001; 23 Jan 2012-9 Feb 2013
A very good year for Dragons but little in the way of romance.
 

Years of the Snake – 23 Jan 1917-10 Feb 1918; 10 Feb 1929-29 Jan 1930; 27 Jan 1941-14 Feb 1942; 14 Feb 1953-2 Feb 1954; 2 Feb 1965-20 Jan 1966; 18 Feb 1977-06 Feb 1978; 6 Feb 1989-26 Jan 1990; 24 Jan 2001-11 Feb 2002; 10 Feb 2013-30 Jan 2014
A good year for money and romance for the Snake.
 

Years of the Goat – 1 Feb 1919-19 Feb 1920; 17 Feb 1931-5 Feb 1932; 5 Feb 1943-24 Jan 1944; 24 Jan 1955-11 Feb 1956; 9 Feb 1967-29 Jan 1968; 28 Jan 1979-15 Feb 1980; 15 Feb 1991-3 Feb 1992; 1 Feb 2003-21 Jan 2004
A good year for relationships and life in general, at least until the winter.
 

Years of the Monkey – 20 Feb 1920-7 Feb 1921; 6 Feb 1932-25 Jan 1933; 25 Jan 1944-12 Feb 1945; 12 Feb 1956-30 Jan 1957; 30 Jan 1968-16 Feb 1969; 16 Feb 1980-04 Feb 1981; 4 Feb 1992-22 Jan 1993; 22 Jan 2004-08 Feb 2005
Money is looking good for Monkeys and more activity will bring more success.
 

Years of the Rooster – 8 Feb 1921-27 Jan 1992; 26 Jan 1933-13 Feb 1934; 13 Feb 1945-1 Feb 1946; 31 Jan 1957-17 Feb 1958; 17 Feb 1969-5 Feb 1970; 5 Feb 1981-24 Jan 1982; 23 Jan 1993-9 Feb 1994; 9 Feb 2005-28 Jan 2006
There may be positive work opportunities but relationships could be volatile.
 

Years of the Dog – 28 Jan 1922-15 Feb 1923; 14 Feb 1934-3 Feb 1935; 2 Feb 1946-21 Jan 1947; 18 Feb 1958-7 Feb 1959; 6 Feb 1970-26 Jan 1971; 25 Jan 1982-12 Feb 1983; 10 Feb 1994 - 30 Jan 1995; 29 Jan 2006-17 Feb 2007
A lucky year for Dogs in all aspects of life.
 

Years of the Pig – 30 Jan 1911-17 Feb 1912; 16 Feb 1923-4 Feb 1924; 4 Feb 1935-23 Jan 1936; 22 Jan 1947-9 Feb 1948; 8 Feb 1959-27 Jan 1960; 27 Jan 1971-14 Feb 1972; 13 Feb 1983-1 Feb 1984; 31 Jan 1995-18 Feb 1996; 18 Feb 2007-6 Feb 2008; 5 Feb 2019-24 Jan 2020
A great year for Pigs – a little effort will bring great rewards.