Year of the Monkey

February 8, 2016, begins the Year of the Monkey according to the Chinese calendar. Chinese New Year celebrations last 15 days and include a variety of traditions that are meant to bring luck and happiness for the new year. Families hold reunions, small gifts are exchanged, and special foods are eaten. The festivities conclude with a Lantern Festival on the night of the first full moon.

The Chinese calendar is lunisolar: days begin at midnight, and months begin at the new moon. This means that according to the Gregorian calendar Chinese New Year always falls between January 21 and February 20. Years are traditionally assigned one of 12 animal names that repeat in a sequence. People born during a given animal’s year are thought to share characteristics with it. Those born in the year of the monkey are said to be curious, mischievous, and clever.