Chinese New Year 2011 is expected to be celebrated with grandeur like any other year. However, it is more than firecrackers, exchanging gifts, fun filled events, family get-togethers, and good food etc. Chinese New Year 2011 will be celebrated on 3rd February.

The concept of Chinese New Year started way back during the times of Han Dynasty. During those times, people celebrated New Year at the end of the harvest season and before the commencement of spring. The New Year celebrations became more prominent during the Tang Dynasty. This was the period when the country was politically as well as economically stable.

• Chinese New Year 2011 – A Social Event
  
  Irrespective of which way you are celebrating New Year, it is always marked with a lot of excitement, celebration, and joyous moments. It has been observed that just like other years, Chinese New Year 2011 will see people stirring out of their houses in red clothes.
  
  
• Fireworks and Red Color –Their Significance
  
  It is believed that red is a lucky color for the Chinese people. And if you wear red on Chinese New Year, you can ward off evil spirits and keep bad luck at bay. Firework is also a means of warding off evil spirits, it is believed by the people in China. As such, you will also find people burning bamboo stalks on Chinese New Year. The same trend will be followed in Chinese New Year 2011 too.
  
  
• Lantern festival
  
  Lantern festival is held 15 days from the 1st lunar month. The lanterns are decorated with paintings. And the art work may range from birds, animals, zodiac signs, and flowers etc. People visit their friends and relatives.
  
  Outside China, there are many Chinese people who reside in different countries. They celebrate New Year on the same day. Although they are away from their homeland, they don't forget their New Year. And they will not be doing so on the eve of Chinese New Year 2011 too.
  
  
• Chinese New Year 2011- The Year of Rabbit
  
  Chinese New Year 2011 is also significant from the astrological point of view. 2010 was the Year of Tiger. And 2011 is the Year of Rabbit. It begins on 3rd February 2011 and will continue until January 22nd 2012. If you were born in any of the following years, you are a Rabbit according to Chinese astrology.
  • 1903
  • 1904
  • 1915
  • 1916
  • 1927
  • 1928
  • 1939
  • 1951
  • 1963
  • 1975
  • 1987
  • 1999

Chinese New Year 2011 celebrations are expected to begin much before the actual New Year date, i.e., 3rd February. People offer prayers to their ancestors and the Gods and Goddesses. This is basically a welcome prayer when men invite Gods from the Heaven. There is exchange of gifts. There are many people who don't eat meat as a mark of respect to the God.

On Chinese New Year 2011 too, households in China would get down to cleaning their houses as a ritual which is believed to ward off evil spirits and bad luck from your life.

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