Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is celebrated worldwide to mark the first day of the New Year in the Chinese calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar. It is also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year and celebrations can last for about 15 days.

The Chinese New Year for 2012 is on January 23 and marks the Year of the Dragon.
Picture of a typical long dragon float for the Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is a festive occasion that calls for celebration in many places around the world. ©iStockphoto.com/araraadt
What do people do?

Chinese New Year is the most important and longest of all Chinese festivals, celebrated in Chinese communities throughout the world. Chinese New Year celebrations have certain variations from country to country but they all usually include offerings to household deities, house cleaning, new clothes, a large banquet, ancestor worship and firecrackers. Families may gather for special meals on this occasion.

People may also wear red clothes and give children “lucky money” in red envelopes. Household doors are thrown open to let good luck enter on the first day of the New Year. Families go out to visit friends and worship at temples. Words are carefully watched to avoid saying anything that signifies death, sickness or poverty.

Chinese New Year may also feature lantern festival, where people hang decorated lanterns in temples and carry lanterns to an evening parade. Dragon and lion dances are performed around this time of the year with many people supporting the long dragons, which are typically made of silk, paper and bamboo. Acrobatic demonstrations, the beating of gongs and the clashing of cymbals are also popular activities as part of the Chinese New Year festivities.
Public life

Chinese New Year is a public holiday in China, where the public holiday lasts for about three days. It is also a public holiday in countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, North Korea, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam.

It is not a public holiday in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States. However, some businesses may close early and some streets may be closed for a short while to allow for festival parades to take place.
Background

The Chinese New Year festival is believed to date back to prehistory. It marks the start of the new lunar cycle and is called the Spring Festival (in the northern hemisphere) as it falls between the December solstice and the March equinox. China follows the Gregorian calendar for daily business but the dates of the Chinese New Year and other important festivals are determined by the Chinese calendar.

The Chinese New Year, which is the first day of the first month, in the Chinese calendar is assigned to an animal. According to one belief, Buddha promised gifts to all animals that would pay him homage. Only 12 animals came to honor Buddha so, to favor these 12 animals, each one was given one of the 12 years of the Chinese zodiac. People born during one of the animal's years are said to inherit distinctive characteristics of that animal. The signs repeat every 12 years. The animal signs are:

    Rat – ambitious and sincere.
    Ox – bright, cheery, and a leader.
    Tiger – courageous and sensitive.
    Rabbit – talented and loving.
    Dragon – robust and passionate.
    Snake – wise and strong-willed.
    Horse – attractive and popular.
    Sheep – aesthetic and stylish.
    Monkey – persuasive and smart.
    Rooster – pioneering spirit and wise.
    Dog – generous and loyal.
    Boar (or pig) – gallant and noble.

The Chinese calendar is based on astronomical observations of the sun's longitude and the moon's phases. It is believed to have been introduced by Emperor Huangdi (or Huang Ti) at some stage around 2600 to 3000 years BCE. According to legend, the emperor invited the calendar in 2637 BCE. This calendar predates the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced in 1582. The Chinese lunar calendar is used to determine festivals, so the dates of these festivals vary each year. Various Chinese communities around the world also use this calendar.
Symbols

Chinese New Year has various symbols and traditions. For example, flowers are an important part of New Year decorations. Two flowers that are often associated with Chinese New Year are the plum blossom (courage and hope) and the water narcissus (good luck and fortune). Writings that refer to good luck are often seen in homes and business environments. They are usually written by brush on a diamond-shaped piece of red paper. Tangerines and oranges are also displayed in many homes and stores as a sign of luck and wealth.

Envelopes with money (Hong Bao, Ang Pao, or Lai See), often come in the color red, which symbolizes happiness, good luck, success and good fortune. The color red is also used on these envelopes to ward off evil spirits. These envelopes are mainly given as presents to children. Each Chinese New Year is associated with an animal name for one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, as mentioned earlier.

Chinese New Year in Canada

Many people in countries such as Canada celebrate Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year. It marks the first day of the New Year in the Chinese calendar.

Chinese New Year celebrations often involve firecrackers and people giving money in red envelopes to others, particularly children. ©iStockphoto.com/Liang Zhang

What do people do?

Chinese New Year is a vibrant and festive occasion for many people in Canada. This event can last for many days and often includes various festivities such as street parades and festivals featuring dancing, traditional Chinese costumes, firework displays, food stalls, and arts and crafts.

Many Chinese Canadian families spend time together giving gifts, particularly red envelopes with money (Hong Bao, Ang Pao, or Lai See) that are normally given to children. Some Canadian organizations have also participated in Chinese New Year through various activities over the years. For example, Canada Post issued special stamps to welcome the Chinese New Year in previous times. The Royal Canadian Mint also marked Chinese New Year with a new series of coins in the past.

Public life

Chinese New Year is not a nationwide public holiday in Canada. However, some Chinese businesses may be closed on the day or amend their business hours to take part in the Chinese New Year festivities. There may be heavy traffic and some streets may be closed in towns or cities where Chinese New Year celebrations are held.

Background

The Chinese community in Canada has a long history dating back to the 19th century. The Chinese moved to Canada for various reasons related to employment and opportunities associated with the Canada’s growth. All across Canada, starting in the 1890s, cities and larger towns began to develop their own Chinatown districts.

British Columbia was home to more than 60 percent of Canada's Chinese before World War II, according to sources such as Library and Archives Canada. But for many years after a ban on Chinese immigration was revoked in 1947, the province received only one-third of new Chinese immigrants. This meant that Chinese families were settling all across Canada. Canada is today seen as a multicultural country in which festivals such as Chinese New Year are celebrated each year.

Symbols

Chinese New Year has various symbols and traditions. For example, flowers are an important part of New Year decorations. Writings that refer to good luck are often seen in homes and business environments. They are usually written by brush on a diamond-shaped piece of red paper. Tangerines and oranges are also displayed in many homes and stores as a sign of luck and wealth.

Envelopes with money (Hong Bao, Ang Pao, or Lai See) often come in the color red, which symbolizes happiness, good luck, success and good fortune.  These envelopes are mainly given as presents to children. Each Chinese New Year is associated with an animal name for one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac.

About Chinese New Year in other countries

Read more about Chinese New Year.

Candlemas

Candlemas is a Christian holiday celebrated annually on February 2. It celebrates three occasions according to Christian belief: the presentation of the child Jesus; Jesus’ first entry into the temple; and it celebrates the Virgin Mary’s purification (mainly in Catholic churches).

The Candlemas Bells, also known as Snowdrops, symbolize hope according to Christian belief. ©iStockphoto.com/Anettelinnea

What do people do?

Many Christians consider Jesus as the “light of the world” so it is fitting that candles are blessed on this day and that a candle-lit procession precedes the mass. It is traditional to eat crepes on Candlemas in some parts of Europe, such as France. Each family member prepares and cooks a crepe while holding a coin in hand. This is believed to assure wealth and happiness until the next Candlemas celebration.

Candlemas is also known as Candelaria in Spanish speaking countries. Whoever finds baby figures hidden inside the Rosca de Reyes (Kings Cake) on Epiphany on January 6 is obliged to bring food to a gathering held on February 2. Many Orthodox Christians celebrate this event by bringing beeswax candles to their local church and requesting for these candles to be blessed to be used in the church or at home. Some Christians observe the practice of leaving Christmas decorations up until Candlemas.

Public life

Many Christians observe Candlemas but it is not a public holiday in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Background

Candlemas primarily focuses on Jesus’ early life. Many Christians believe that Jesus’ mother Mary presented him to God at the Temple in Jerusalem after observing the traditional 40-day period of purification (of mothers) following his birth. According to a New Testament gospel, a Jewish man named Simeon held the baby in his arms and said that he would be a light for the Gentiles (Luke 2:32). It is for this reason that this event is called Candlemas.

Many people believe that some of Candlemas’ activities stem from pagan observances such as Imbolc, a Gaelic festival, or the Roman feast of Lupercalia. However, others have argued that there is too little evidence to shed light on Candlemas’ substitution for these festivals. Either way, Candlemas occurs at a period between the December solstice and the March equinox, so many people traditionally marked that time of the year as winter’s “halfway point” while waiting for the spring.

According to some sources, Christians began Candlemas in Jerusalem as early as the fourth century and the lighting of candles began in the fifth century. Other sources say that Candlemas was observed by blessing candles since the 11th century. An early writing dating back to around 380 CE mentioned that a feast of the Presentation occurred in a church in Jerusalem. It was observed on February 14. The feast was observed on February 2 in regions where Christ's birth was celebrated on December 25.

Candlemas is known as the “Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple” in many eastern churches. Other traditional names in the western churches include the “Feast for the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary” as well as the “Meeting of the Lord”. It is also Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada on February 2. According to folklore, the badger comes out to test the weather in the United Kingdom.

Symbols

Snowdrops (galanthas nivalis) are known as Candlemas Bells because they often bloom early in the year, even before Candlemas. Some varieties bloom all winter (in the northern hemisphere).  The superstitious used to believe that these flowers should not be brought into the house prior to Candlemas.  However, it is also believed in more recent times that these flowers purify a home.

According to folklore, an angel helped these Candlemas bells to bloom and pointed them as a sign of hope to Eve, who wept in repentance and in despair over the cold and death that entered the world. Many Christians see the flower as a symbol of Jesus Christ being this hope for the world. Candles that are lit during Candlemas also symbolize Jesus as the “light of the world”.

Note: Please note that the seasons and seasonal changes mentioned in relation to Candlemas refer to the northern hemisphere in this article.

Groundhog Day in Canada

Many Canadians take the time to observe Groundhog Day on February 2 each year, which is also Candlemas. Groundhog Day in Canada focuses on the concept of a groundhog coming out of its home in mid-winter to “predict” if spring is on its way in the northern hemisphere.

 

Quick Facts

Groundhog Day is celebrated in Canada on February 2 each year.

Name

Groundhog Day

Alternative name

Feast of Presentation of the Lord

Groundhog Day 2013

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Groundhog Day 2014

Sunday, February 2, 2014

The groundhog attracts media attention on Groundhog Day in Canada. ©iStockphoto.com/David P. Lewis

What do people do?

2011 Update:

Ontario's Wiarton Wille and Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam did not see their shadows in 2011. It is predicted to be an early spring.

Many Canadians celebrate Groundhog Day by attending festivals, engaging in activities and reading or listening to news about groundhog appearances on February 2. Some Christian churches celebrate Candlemas on this day. Other people mark Groundhog Day as the date to take down their Christmas decorations.

Groundhog Day has attracted media attention over the years and its popularity continues to grow in Canada.  A festival is held in the town of Wiarton in Bruce County, Ontario, to honor Groundhog Day. The town has its own groundhog, Wiarton Willie, which it shares with the nation. Locals, fans and news reporters come out to “hear Willie’s prediction” early in the morning on February 2 each year. Other events at the festival include dances, contests, parades and pancake breakfasts.

Public life

Groundhog Day is not a public holiday in Canada. However areas around parks and some streets may be busy or congested in towns, such as Wiarton, where Groundhog Day events are popular.

Background

Thousands of years ago when animalism and nature worship were prevalent, people in the area of Europe now known as Germany believed that the badger had the power to predict the coming of spring. They watched the badger to know when to plant their crops.

This tradition was brought over to North America, predominantly in Pennsylvania in the United States, where it was the groundhog, not the badger, which makes these “predictions”. According to folklore, if the groundhog will sees its shadow on February 2 it will return to its burrow, indicating that there will be six more weeks of winter. If it does not see its shadow, then spring is on the way.

The Groundhog Day concept became popular in Canada in 1956 when Wiarton Willie became a household name for his early February “weather predictions”. Wiarton’s Groundhog Day festival grew as Willie’s fame increased. It became one of the largest winter festivals in Bruce County, Canada.

There are also other groundhogs in different parts of Canada. For example, Schubenacadie Sam is reportedly the first groundhog in the country to stick its head out on Groundhog Day. Other groundhogs include: Gary the Groundhog in Ontario, Brandon Bob in Manitoba and Balzac Billy in Alberta.

Symbols

The groundhog, also known as the woodchuck or marmot, is believed to make weather predictions relating to winter and spring according to superstition. Canada’s groundhog Wiarton Willie was popular enough to have its own statue in Wiarton, Ontario.

Movies, advertisements, cartoons and other media have portrayed the legendary role of the groundhog in popular culture. The term “Groundhog Day” is a phrase that is sometimes used to express if the same events or actions occur repetitively for a period of time.

Note: Please note that references to seasonal changes in this article relate to seasons in the northern hemisphere.

About Groundhog Day in other countries

Read more about Groundhog Day.

Kashmir Solidarity Day 5th February

Kashmir Solidarity Day has been celebrated on 5 February each year since 1990 as a day of protest against Indian control of part of Kashmir. It is a national holiday in Pakistan. The core issue of Kashmir, between India and Pakistan, has led Pakistan to face three wars and have devoted a major portion of their national incomes to defense budgets. World leaders have stressed the need to resolve the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan to avoid an eventuality that may cause a catastrophe in the region. Kashmir is the nuclear flash point of Asia, surrounded by three nuclear powers.

It is incumbent on the international community in general and governing world bodies in particular to intervene and force India to stop shedding innocent Kashmiri blood. Kashmiris should have the right to decide their fate according to the UN resolutions, which were adopted to resolve the issue. Without any doubt, Kashmir is jugular vein of Pakistan and it cannot evidently abandon it under any conditions. With both the South Asian neighbours armed with nuclear weapons, another conventional war on Kashmir has the potential to turn into a nuclear exchange that could be disastrous not only for South Asia but for the world at large.

Kashmir Day in Pakistan

Kashmir Day in Pakistan

 

Kashmir Day or Kashmir Solidarity Day is a public holiday in Pakistan on February 5 each year.

It is a day dedicated to show Pakistan’s support and unity with the people of Indian-occupied Kashmir, their ongoing freedom struggle, and to pay homage to Kashmiri martyrs who lost their lives fighting for Kashmir’s freedom.

Kashmir Solidarity Day is dedicated to supporting the people of Kashmir and recognizing the freedom struggles in part of the region (view of landscape in Kashmir pictured above). ©iStockphoto.com/photopalace

What Do People Do?

Kashmir Day is observed by people throughout Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK). It is an internationally recognized day observed by people, predominantly Kashmiris, worldwide. The day is marked by public processions, special prayers in mosques for the liberation of Kashmir and protests that are carried out against the Indian oppression of Kashmir.

Kashmir Day is also of particular political importance to major political and religious parties in both Pakistan and AJK. Processions, rallies, conferences and seminars are organized by many political and religious parties where politicians, heads of religious organizations, opinion leaders, and influential public figures address the masses and speak to support the Kashmiri freedom movement. These leaders and spokespeople also advocate a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. Long marches, and rallies sponsored by political organizations, religious parties and other organizations are held, in which people chant slogans to support the Kashmiri freedom struggle and to express solidarity with the Kashmiri people.

Another common spectacle is the formation of a human chain on all major routes leading to AJK from Pakistan. People stand in rows with their hands clasped forming a human chain on all major crossings into AJK from Pakistan. This symbolizes unity and solidarity to reassure Kashmiris that they are not alone in their struggle for freedom.

Special cultural programs and festivals are also held to promote Kashmiri culture and tradition.  News and entertainment channels air special programs, talk shows, dramas and Kashmiri songs about the oppression and brutalities suffered by Kashmiris over the years. Educational institutions organize debate competitions and dialogue forums where students express their views and ideas for resolving Kashmiri-related issues.

Public Life

Kashmir Day is a public holiday in Pakistan and AJK. Government offices (federal and provincial), banks, educational institutions and businesses remain closed. However, some multinational companies continue normal business activities on this day.

Public transport is available throughout the day, but traffic congestion is common in major cities. Major roads and streets remain blocked because of Kashmir Day parades and processions.

Background

There is a part of Kashmir called Azad Jammu Kashmir (Azad means “Liberated” in Urdu). Many Indians call it Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Officially Pakistan recognizes AJK as a separate state, having its own parliament, head of state and governing institutions.

Kashmir Day was first observed in 1990 on call of Nawaz Sharif, who was the opposition leader and chief minister of Punjab at the time. Sharif appealed for a nationwide strike to protest against the Indian occupation of Kashmir and called for people to pray for the Kashmiri freedom movement’s success. The Pakistan People’s Party then declared February 5 as a public holiday and Kashmir Day has since been observed every year.

Symbols

The Kashmir valley is metaphorically referred to as “heaven on earth”. The valley is shown in modern art as being engulfed by flames, depicting unrest, uproar and peril in heaven. The valley is also shown to be surrounded by a barbed wire drenched in blood. This illustrates human rights violations in Kashmir.

Note: The information in this article is from reliable sources, including from government and news sources. However, timeanddate.com does not take political views on the history behind the events mentioned in this article.

Kashmir Day Observances

Kashmir Solidarity Day

Kashmir Solidarity Day

Kashmir Solidarity Day has been observed on 5 February each year since 1990 in Pakistan as a day of protest against Indian control of part of Kashmir.[1] It is a national holiday in Pakistan.[2] Kashmir Day was first proposed by Qazi Hussain Ahmad of the Jamaat-e-Islami party in Pakistan in 1990. Pakistan considers Kashmir as the core issue, between India and Pakistan, leading to three wars and devoting a major portion of their national incomes to defense budgets.[citation needed] World leaders have stressed the need to resolve the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan to avoid an eventuality that may cause a catastrophe in the region. Kashmir is the nuclear flash point of South Asia, surrounded by three nuclear powers.
Purpose

Pakistan and members of the separatist community in Kashmir continue to claim that atrocities are being committed by the Indian state in Kashmir,[citation needed] a claim which India denies, laying a reverse charge on Pakistan for backing insurgency, terrorism and stoking communal passions in the state.[3] In the middle of 2010 there were widespread protests and unrest on the streets of Jammu and Kashmir against the killings of civilians by Indian security forces. The security forces in India and the Indian Army however claimed that the deaths were accidental while trying to control hundreds of protesters out on the street who were pelting stones at the security forces.[citation needed] Nevertheless the protests against the security forces spiraled out of control and within a couple of months more than a 100 civilians had lost their lives. A number of security forces lost their lives too, in the clashes. During the Kashmir uprising in the summer of 2010 which saw scores of protesters killed by Indian security forces and complete shutdown of Kashmir for over a month, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a key separatist leader, said "We want end to Indian occupation here and have already laid out our proposal for initiating a dialogue."[4]

The purpose of Kashmir Solidarity day as per Pakistani view, is to provide sympathetic and political support to the Kashmiri separatists people who they believe are struggling for their freedom from the Indian rule.[citation needed] The parts of Kashmir administered by Pakistan are known as Azad Jammu & Kashmir (Independent Jammu and Kashmir) and Gilgit-Baltistan, while the part administered by India is called Maqbuza Kashmir or "Indian Occupied Kashmir" in Pakistan. The Indians refer to the area under Pakistani administration as "Pakistan Occupied Kashmir" .

Source WIkipedia