The Chinese New Year is traditionally a time when families get together. Time is also spent remembering their ancestors.

Gifts of money are also given, usually in red envelopes, to unmarried people.

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Food plays a big part in the celebrations and fish in particular is seen as a special food to have at this time.

According to legend, Buddha felt the Chinese nation needed reorganising. One day, at the start of a new year, he called all the animals in the kingdom together for a meeting but only 12 showed up.

For their reward, each were given their own year. This year the honour goes to the Monkey.

People born in the year of the Monkey are very successful, blessed with common sense and well informed but they tend to talk too much.

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