Here’s wishing everyone a very prosperous new year

Saturday was the first day of the Chinese New Year, which is also known as their spring festival.

I don’t know about you, but I am in favor of anything that would encourage warm weather.

The Chinese New Year can occur anytime between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20, and the reason it is also considered a spring festival is, according to the traditional solar calendar, it marks the end of the coldest part of winter.

2017 is the Year of the Rooster, and this holiday is celebrated by one fifth of the world’s population and, in addition to China, is especially big in London, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Wearing red during your zodiac year is supposed to bring good luck because red is one of the luckiest colors in Chinese culture, representing prosperity, loyalty and success. While red underwear is highly recommended if it is your zodiac year, you cannot buy the underwear yourself but should receive it as a gift.

Your zodiac year occurs every 12 years and people in their zodiac year are believed to offend Tai Sui, the God of Age. Therefore, they must pay special attention to their conduct. Everyone should eat “lucky” foods such as fish, dumplings and spring rolls, but porridge should be avoided because it is considered a food for poor people.

Additional Chinese New Year Day and spring festival taboos are:

• No hair washing or clothes washing — it washes away good luck. • No needle work — It depletes wealth. • No sweeping — It sweeps away wealth. • No scissors or knives — It cuts wealth. • No crying or breaking dishes — It brings bad luck. • No lending or borrowing money. • No black or white clothes. Chinese New Year is an especially tough time for “old” singles, which are women up to age 30 who have not married and men who are 32 or older. Some parents become very concerned and nag them to the point where it has become popular for many singles to “rent” (using websites) a girlfriend or boyfriend to bring home to placate their parents.

A new year is an important time for families to be together and people travel long distances for “reunion dinners” where big families spanning several generations reconnect.

The old tradition of wishing for a good farm year and good crop has evolved into wishing for profits and success in business. Red envelopes containing money are given to children and to seniors (what a great custom!).

Good health, good fortune and “Xin Nian Kuai Le” (“shin-nyen-kuhy-luh”) or Happy New Year, to all my readers.

WONG MAYE-E — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS People walk under a sculpture decorated with a rooster as part of a Lunar New Year celebration in Singapore Thursday.