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When is Chinese New Year 2018? UK activities, what the Year of the Dog means for your zodiac sign and how to celebrate in London
The start of the lunar year begins in February, and millions of people across the world will be gathering with family to get out the firecrackers and celebrate Chinese New Year.
This February denotes the beginning of the Year of the Dog, defined by the Chinese zodiac cycle.
The day is traditionally marked with the giving of gifts and celebrations with family, as well as looking to what the sign of the Rooster will mean for the year ahead.
Heres everything you need to know about Chinese New Year.
The Year of the Dog begins on February 16, 2018.
Celebrations will last until March 2nd - about 15 days in total - making this the longest holiday in the Chinese calendar.
Chinese New Year takes place on a different date every year, because it is based on the lunar calendar.
In this calendar a month is two days shorter than in the solar calendar so to make up for it an extra month is added every few years.
The lunar calendar means the celebration always falls on a different date - unlike the January 1 New Year we are used to, based on the Gregorian calendar.
Red decorations and lanterns are commonplace during New Year celebrations.
But Chinese New Year always falls between the end of January and mid-February.
Each year is denoted by a different symbol from the Chinese 12 year animal zodiac, with this year being matched to the tenth sign.
Last year was the Year of the Goat.
The Chinese calendar attaches different animals from the zodiac to each lunar year in a cycle of 12 years.
This year is the Year of the Dog.
Last year it was the Rooster.
But for people born in a dog year - 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 - youre apparently set to have an unlucky time because tradition denotes that the year of your birth makes for an unlucky 12 months.
Dogs are the eleventh sign in the zodiac and are seen as independent, sincere, loyal and decisive, who arent afraid of difficulties in life.
Due to these characteristics they also enjoy harmonious relationships with those around them.
Chinese New Year is celebrated with the ringing of bells, the lighting of firecrackers and watching traditional lion dances.
In China New Years Eve is seen as an important date, with families gathering together for a reunion dinner.
Firecrackers are then let off to signal the end of last year and the beginning of next.
On New Years Day, families gather, clean their houses and sweep away bad-fortune.
Red envelopes stuffed with lucky money are given to children, along with written wishes for their kids to grow up healthy.
However Chinese New Year has also been touched by the digital age, with red envelope apps - where people can exchange cyber money - being launched.
People also decorate their houses with red paper cutouts, banners and special New Year paintings during the festive period.
This year is also likely to see Rooster themed decorations.
From Londons famous parade to huge celebrations in Manchester and Newscastle, heres how to celebrate the Year of the Rooster where you live.
Over 700,000 people flock to celebrate Chinese New Year in London, making their festivities the largest outside of Asia.
The biggest celebrations will take place on Friday 16th February in Trafalgar Square, Chinatown and across the West End, and while no other details have been released yet, its predicted to be free to attend.
Last year, a colourful parade that snaked from Charing Cross Road to Shaftesbury Avenue kicked off, with the lively display including dragon dancers, vibrant, hand-crafted floats and martial arts - all led by a flying Chinese lion.
Manchester will also be hosting celebrations on Friday 16th February, with festivities set to include thousands of red lanterns, Chinese craft workshops in the Arndale centre and a Chinese food pop up market in St Anns square, according to the Manchester Evening News.
In Birmingham, theres plenty of free celebrations occurring, including a massive street party in the citys Chinese Quarter.
Activities are set to include lion dancing, a fire act, acrobatics, traditional lantern making, street food and funfair rides, as reported by the Birmingham Mail.
Last year, Liverpools celebrations seemed to be the most unique of the lot, showcasing a special Chinese New Year lumiere event complete with projections, as well as a specially-created augmented reality trail, on top of the usual street performances and parades.
This year, were expecting just as much excitement, with festivities set to span across the whole weekend, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
Newcastles Chinese New Year is set to be bigger than ever, following a crowd-funding effort that raised £10,000 to put towards the annual carnival.
As well as a carnival weaving through the city complete with vibrant dancers and drummers, there will also be a stage area with performers, with the traditional event becoming a fixture in the citys cultural calendar, according to the Chronicle Live.
Supermarkets and takeaways are celebrating the colourful event with Chinese-themed meal deals for food lovers all over the country to indulge in.
While no offers have been released yet, well keep our eye out for any meal deals or major discounts at supermarkets that you can pick up to celebrate the Chinese New Year in style.
If youd rather get a takeaway, cashback site Quidco often has a deal on that offers all new members that sign up to its free site a free £15 to spend, although at the moment, it only applies to pizza from Dominos, Papa Johns and Pizza Hut.
If you want something a little more suited to the occasion, the likes of Just Eat and Deliveroo will always be offering traditional dishes all year round.