Happy chinese new year. It is now the Year of the Rat in China. I was born in the Year of the Rat, in 1960.

China Success Stories has a nice piece on the new year.

Chinese New Year is the most important holiday of the year for the Chinese. They try to settle all the debts they can, buy oranges for good luck and kumquat trees to decorate their homes. And they clean house. There will be a family feast, and the older people will give little red packets of luck money (ang paus) to the youngsters.

Usually there is a parade, including lion and dragon dances, stilt walkers, floats and acrobats. With the weather disaster facing China at the moment, it seems likely that many such celebrations will be greatly reduced.

In 15 days the Spring Festival that starts with Chinese New Year will give way to the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the month-long New Year season. Perhaps the weather will be more hospitable by then...