Happy New Year 2008 - Year of Rat

Today is the last day of year 2007. I would think that today would be the busiest day for those business owners, companies, corporate and organizations which financial year falls on the last day of the year as to review their whole year business achievement. Those employees who works for them are striving to improve their own performance in order to get a better bonuses and also at the same time to hope for a chance of promotion.

Students whom had long holidays would resume schooling in the next few days. Parents are to increase their expenses in buying new school uniforms, shoes, stationeries, bag and paying school fees for their children. The teachers are going back to workplace for preparing the studies material of the new school term. Shoppers are having their year end sales in clearing their old stock.

Hotels and pubs are the places for celebrating the countdown and welcoming the new year of 2008. Some of the companies or organizations would have their annual dinner tonight in hotels or restaurants.

Tonight’s New Year Eve is a great day and will be celebrating by people of all races, culture and religions in the world. Here I would like to greet of us a Happy New Year 2008 and May God Bless All of Us.

The sequence of 12 astrology animals is . Rat ranks number 1 in the 12 calendar animals. There is a related story for children. Once the God of Heaven wanted to choose 12 animal names as the sequence of the calendar. He announced to hold an animal racing to determine the order. When the racing date is closing, Cat forgot the time and asked Rat the schedule. Alert Rat gave Cat the wrong time on purpose. Smart Rat stayed on the horn of Ox while crossing the river, then jumped over the bank to reach the final line to win the champion. Cat missed the racing time and swear to kill Rat for generations. That's why Cat always chase Rat forever.

Chinese New Year formally commences at the beginning of Spring. Hence, it is known as the Spring Festival. It is a time to cast away the bad blood of the previous year and wish for good fortune in the coming year. Unlike the western calendar, the Chinese have their own lunar calendar which revolves around the moon. 2008 is the year of Rat in Chinese Calendar beginning on 7th February 2008 which is the first day of Lunar Calendar and also the day the Chinese celebrating their New Year.

Here I wish all of you a wonderful and prosperous year 2008, the year of rat.