Red is definitely one of the most important colors for the Chinese New Year. Not only do people wear the color to scare away bad spirits and bad luck, but it is also the color of the “red packets” of money given to younger people during the holiday. But there’s more to understanding the Chinese New Year than simply wearing red or getting money. Remember each year is represented by a different animal and each of those animals has its own story. Incorporating those ideas into your celebration is also a good idea.

Red Invitations for the Chinese New Year

If you are planning to put together a festive get together to celebrate the New Year, then choosing red invitations is definitely a good start. After all, red is generally considered a good luck color in the culture. For a more formal party, you might want to consider the Red Celebration Jacket invitations. For a casual event, the Cheers Jubilee or Reflections Column Layered invitations might be good choices. If none of these fit perfectly with your theme or style, then there’s also Lady and Gentlemen invitations and Red Holiday Garland as possible ideas.

Chinese New Year Animals: the Legend

The Chinese zodiac includes 12 different animals. Each year is governed by a different one of these animals. According to ancient legend, the selection of these animals and their order was determined by the Jade Emperor in 6th century B.C. He wanted to throw a party for all of the animals so he put the rat in charge of getting everyone organized. On the day of the party, the animals raced to the celebration and are organized today by the order they arrived at the celebration. One of the missing animals – the cat – was left out because he was tricked by the rat who told him the party was being held the next day instead. That part of the legend explains why rats and cats will always be enemies.

However, any year which is divisible by the number 13 according to the Chinese calendar is considered a cat year in addition.

The Zodiac Animals & Their Stories

The animals and their order are as follows: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep (sometimes called the ram or the goat), monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Some animals are considered more positive than others but each has its own particular meaning for celebrants.

The rat, for example, is supposed to be a bringer of material wealth. However, bad things can sometimes occur during its year, including war and pestilence. The next Year of the Rat will be 2008-2009.

The second animal in the zodiac – the ox (or cow) is considered a hard worker so the year is usually marked with success for those who put forth the effort. It may not be such a good year for lazy people.