Happy Chinese New Year!

Unlike the Western Calendar which has the passing of the year as a fixed date each year, the Chinese calendar is based on a combination of solar and lunar movements with New Years being celebrated on the date of the second full moon after the winter solstice.

The misalignment of the solar and lunar cycles creates an imbalance over time which needs to be corrected by realigning the two calendars. Within any 19 year period, there are seven years where one month is added to maintain some form of alignment.

In addition to this cycle of realignment, from ancient times the Chinese have associated each year with an animal which they consider to be auspicious and the characteristics and traits of these animals are said to be imparted to any newborn. The list of revered animals is, starting with 2010; Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Cat, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Boar and Rat.

Chinese New Year celebrations are heavily influenced by tradition and the Spring Festival, to give Chinese New Year its' more correct name is the holiday most celebrated during the year with family and friends gathering together to honour their ancestors with prayer and a banquet.

There are many customs associated with the celebration including the cleaning completely the home and the application of the principle of Feng Shui. Like their western counterparts, families stay up late and as the New Year approaches, all of the windows and doors are thrown open to let the old year depart along with any bad luck and to allow evil spirits to make way for good.

The welcoming of the changes in the seasons is represented symbolically by the use of flowers symbolizing that nature has reawakened. This symbolism extends to the use of fruits and candies representing prosperity and happiness; oranges and tangerines are traditionally placed around the dwelling and a tray of eight different types of candies made from lotus seeds, longan (a small juicy fruit), peanuts, coconut, cumquat, lychee (a small fruit with sweet flesh), red melon seeds, candied melon is commonly found in the main living area. Other decorations will be bright red and gold, both colours being associated with good fortune, and will include wall hangings wishing good luck and good fortune on all.

Aside from firecrackers which are an intrinsic part of any Chinese celebration, the Spring Festival is celebrated all around the globe by Chinese New Year Dragon Parades. The Dragon dance is a vital part of any Chinese New Year Celebration and the rich colours, drumming beat and its overall spectacle make it a must see event for Chinese and others alike. If you watch carefully, the Dragon, who is searching for wisdom and knowledge is actually following the Pearl of Wisdom which is atop a pole carried by the leader of the procession.

If you fancy holding your own celebration this Chinese New Years; it's never been easier. There are plenty of websites that can offer advice on recipes on creating your own Chinese banquet try the BBC webpages, and most fancy dress internet retailers have large selections of Chinese themed costumes and accessories. Chinese themed decorations are also becoming easier to source so it's never been easier to have a great Spring Festival or Chinese New Years celebration. Enjoy.

In the new year there is now a regular on the popular modern society do. Traditionally red packets are also handed out to younger generation by their parents, grand parents, relatives, and even close neighbors and friends during Chinese New Year. Nowadays giving red packets as a bonus at the year-end by employers becomes popular and Chinese new year parcel is also a tradition of giving to business associates or relatives.

Giving Chinese new year parcel to employees prior to the New Year is also a good idea. This can be either a gift or a bonus. If it is as a gift, the money should be just right for a gift. If as a bonus, you may enclose a check in the parcel gift and hand it out in an office.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Sinclair

Online Florists Serve Best for Valentine's Day Flowers Delivery

Valentine's Day flowers are truly special and can spark a flame of passion in every heart. These flowers have been a favorite subject of comparison with everything that is beautiful, whether it is the lips of a lovely lady, the color of her cheeks, or anything that is pretty and nice! Red roses are ideal love and romance flowers to please your beloved.

As a matter of fact, red rose tops the list of almost all florists when it comes to Valentine's Day flower delivery. Roses are amongst the most favorite flowers for both senders and receivers all over the world. During the month of February, when everybody celebrates Valentine's Day across the globe, the demand for red roses and other Valentine's Day flowers shoots up incredibly.

Valentine's Day is the day when people celebrate love; therefore, if you send flowers on Valentine's Day, your partner would be elated. You will find that market flooded with flowers, cards, gifts, chocolates, soft toys, and more, thus helping you express your love to your beloved in a variety of ways. And if your partner is staying somewhere distant, Valentine's Day flowers delivery becomes all the more important. By sending love and romance flowers to your beloved living far away, you will be able to make your special someone feel even more special and loved.

By choosing Valentine's Day flowers delivery, you get the opportunity to see the cheeks of your sweetheart turn as red as the red roses. No wonder, it will bring loads of smile to your face making you feel extremely delighted. Sending beautiful and charming romantic flowers is a trend that is being followed for many years now. And one of the most effective and reliable ways of sending love and romance flowers to your beloved staying far away is online Valentine's day flowers delivery. Do not miss the opportunity. Choose online flower delivery services to celebrate the special occasion of Valentine's Day and make the day memorable for you and your partner for ever.

There are many websites that offer online flower delivery services, thus helping you impress your partner conveniently from the comfort of your home. If you are looking for a reputed online florist that deals in a wide range of flowers for all occasions, including Valentine's Day, visit fleurop. This is one of the largest online flower delivery stores and guarantees efficient Valentine's Day flower delivery services.

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The reason why we do Valentine's Day

The Origins of Valentine's Day

There are many different theories as to the exact origins of Valentines Day. Ancient Rome is said to have celebrated February 14th to honour Juno, the Queen of Roman Gods and Goddesses. Other theorists point to the numerous Catholic martyrs, Valentine of Terni and Valentine of Rome. The Middle Ages saw the holiday gain traction around the English-speaking world, with the sending of handwritten notes and letters of love quickly gaining popularity.

The 19th century was a definite turning point for the holiday, leading to a turn towards the posting of pre-made greeting cards. This transformation has perhaps been the most influential in shaping the holiday's current incarnation, with most people the world over now recognising the holiday as a 'Hallmark Holiday', i.e. a holiday that serves commercial, rather than genuinely sentimental purposes. Whether this is fact or just cynicism, Valentine's Day undoubtedly takes its place within the firmament of the world's most important and most widely celebrated holidays. Valentine's Day, regardless of its origins, is a golden opportunity to express love and affection. After all, who doesn't enjoy anonymous greeting cards, romantic candle-lit dinners and mountains of red roses, valentine chocolate and champagne?

Valentine's Day around the world

The holiday is widely celebrated across the world, although traditions and conventions differ from country to country. In the English speaking world, typical Valentines Day gifts include greeting cards, chocolates and sweets, flowers and lingerie.

In other parts of Europe such as in many countries in Scandinavia, Valentine's Day celebrations are rather more understated, with a romantic dinner and a single red rose being common currency. In Asian countries such as South Korea and Japan, Valentine's Day takes its place among other romantic holidays, such as White Day, Rose Day and Kiss Day. Valentine's Day in these countries marks an occasion whereupon women present men with valentine chocolate, whilst White Day marks the occasion for men to respond to women with the giving of sweets.

Not altogether keen on Valentine's Day?

It doesn't matter whether you're from either camp those who value the holiday and those who don't. The chances are, there is someone in your life that waits impatiently for you to recognise that Valentine's Day is important to them, even if only in secret.

It could be your wife or husband; girlfriend or boyfriend; a co-worker you've long fancied; an attractive neighbour; or even someone that you've admired from afar. Every year on the 14th of February, you're granted an automatic pass to make your romantic move. And let that opportunity pass you by at your own peril a forgotten or neglected Valentine's Day can result in an instant black mark against your credibility as a lover or love interest.

What to do for Valentines Day

Valentines Day produces as many cynics as it does doughy-eyed lovers. Perhaps the reason why there's much cynicism about Valentine's Day is that the holiday has somewhat lost its lustre because it's dominated by generic gifts and cards that are devoid of imagination. After all, it's pretty contradictory to be telling a lover or love interest that you love them, but with a gift that says nothing particularly personal.

When you consider the occasion in this context, it's easy to understand the 'Hallmark' stigma attached to the holiday. The U.S. Greeting Card Association names Valentine's Day as the second largest card-sending day of the year, second only to Christmas. It is estimated that Valentines inspires over one billion cards across the globe and it's a safe bet that the vast majority of these gifts and cards are mass manufactured and fairly unremarkable.

Getting more out of your Valentines Day

Personalising a gift can make all the difference. It can mean the difference between a greeting card being tossed in the wastepaper basket a couple of weeks after the holiday, or a meaningful token of affection that is treasured for years to come.

There are plenty of things you can do to make sure your gift makes YOU stand out. The key is to really think about your recipient and what they would enjoy. It could be an engraved pen that inspires them to think of you.

Personalised champagne can add a unique and special touch to a romantic dinner. Wondering what to get a Valentine's Day-averse husband or boyfriend? Going beyond conventional gifts to present, for example, personalised sporting items is sure to warm the hearts of even the most cynical of sceptics.

One thing is for sure, when it comes to romantic gifts, a personalised touch is the vital separator between cheesy, token gifts to mark the holiday; and genuine expressions of love that really shout, "I love you!"

Article Source : http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=2531043