Chinese New Year 2012

Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Chap Goh Mei (Lantern Festival), which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors. 

The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family. Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese calendar. It is widely celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Phillipines, Taiwan, Thailand and Chinatowns all over the globe.

The 15-Day Celebration of Chinese New Year

The first day of the Lunar New Year is "the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth."Many people abstain from meat on the first day of the new year because it is believed that this will ensure long and happy lives for them.

On the second day, the Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. They are extra kind to dogs and feed them well as it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs.

The third and fourth days are for the sons-in-laws to pay respect to their parents-in-law.  

The fifth day is called Po Woo. On that day people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth. No one visits families and friends on the fifth day because it will bring both parties bad luck.

On the sixth to the 10th day, the Chinese visit their relatives and friends freely. They also visit the temples to pray for good fortune and health. 

The seventh day of the New Year is the day for farmers to display their produce. These farmers make a drink from seven types of vegetables to celebrate the occasion. The seventh day is also considered the birthday of human beings. Noodles are eaten to promote longevity and raw fish for success. 

On the eighth day the Fujian people have another family reunion dinner, and at midnight they pray to Tian Gong, the God of Heaven.

The ninth day is to make offerings to the Jade Emperor.

The 10th through the 12th are days that friends and relatives should be invited for dinner. After so much rich food, on the 13th day you should have simple rice congee and mustard greens (choi sum) to cleanse the system. 

The 14th day should be for preparations to celebrate the Lantern Festival which is to be held on the 15th night.

Taboos and superstitions of CNY

House Cleaning
The entire house should be cleaned before New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, all brooms, brushes, dusters, dust pans and other cleaning equipment are put away. Sweeping or dusting should not be done on New Year's Day for fear that good fortune will be swept away. After New Year's Day, the floors may be swept. Beginning at the door, the dust and rubbish are swept to the middle of the parlor, then placed in the corners and not taken or thrown out until the fifth day. At no time should the rubbish in the corners be trampled upon. In sweeping, there is a superstition that if you sweep the dirt out over the threshold, you will sweep one of the family away. Also, to sweep the dust and dirt out of your house by the front entrance is to sweep away the good fortune of the family; it must always be swept inwards and then carried out, then no harm will follow. All dirt and rubbish must be taken out the back door.
 

Bringing In the New Year and Expelling the Old
Shooting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is the Chinese way of sending out the old year and welcoming in the New Year. On the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, every door in the house, and even windows, have to be open to allow the old year to go out.
 

New Year Activities Set Precedent
All debts had to paid by this time. Nothing should be lent on this day, as anyone who does so will be lending all the year. Back when tinder and flint were used, no one would lend them on this day or give a light to others.
Everyone should refrain from using foul language and bad or unlucky words. Negative terms and the word "four", which sounds like the word for death, are not to be uttered. Death and dying are never mentioned and ghost stories are totally taboo. References to the past year are also avoided as everything should be turned toward the New Year and a new beginning.
If you cry on New Year's day, you will cry all through the year. Therefore, children are tolerated and are not spanked, even though they are mischievous.

Personal Appearance and Cleanliness
On New Year's Day, we are not suppose to wash our hair because it would mean we would have washed away good luck for the New Year. Red clothing is preferred during this festive occasion. Red is considered a bright, happy color, sure to bring the wearer a sunny and bright future. It is believed that appearance and attitude during New Year's sets the tone for the rest of the year. Children and unmarried friends, as well as close relatives are given “lai see” or “ang pow”, little red envelopes with crisp one dollar bills inserted, for good fortune.

More New Year Superstitions
For those most superstitious, before leaving the house to call on others, the Almanac should be consulted to find the best time to leave the home and the direction which is most auspicious to head out. The first person one meets and the first words heard are significant as to what the fortunes would be for the entire year. It is a lucky sign to see or hear songbirds or red-colored birds or swallows. It is considered unlucky to greet anyone in their bedroom so that is why everyone, even the sick, should get dressed and sit in the living room.

Do not use knives or scissors on New Year's Day as this may cut off fortune.
While many Chinese people today may not believe in these do's and don'ts, these traditions and customs are still practiced. These traditions and customs are kept because most families realize that it is these very traditions, whether believed or not, that provide continuity with the past and provide the family with an identity.

World AIDS Day this year is about "Getting to Zero."

Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS-Related Deaths. Backed by the United Nations, the "Getting to Zero" campaign runs until 2015 and builds on last year’s successful World AIDS Day "Light for Rights" initiative encompassing a range of vital issues identified by key affected populations.

The global HIV response is at a pivotal moment, where huge strides forward are at serious risk and current approaches are reaching their limits. Only one third of the 15 million people living with HIV and in need of life-long treatment are receiving it. New infections continue to outpace the number of people starting treatment, while the upward trend in resources suffered a serious downturn this year.

"Zero New HIV Infections" and "Zero Discrimination" are equally as likely to spark high impact events from small scale community vigils to nation wide events using the universally recognized shape of zeros and the power of light to get life and death issues the attention they deserve.

For December 1st 2011 right up until 2015 it’s envisioned that different regions and groups will each year chose one or all of the Zeros that best addresses their situation. The decision to go with the millennium development related goal of "Getting to Zero" comes after extensive discussions among people living with HIV, health activists, broader civil society and many others – more than a hundred organizations in all.

The vision for this year’s World AIDS Day and beyond may be aspirational, but the journey towards its attainment is laid with concrete milestones.

10 goals for 2015

1.  Sexual transmission of HIV reduced by half, including among young people, men who have sex
with men and transmission in the context of sex work;
2.  Vertical transmission of HIV eliminated and AIDS-related maternal deaths reduced by half;
3.  All new HIV infections prevented among people who use drugs;
4.  Universal access to antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV who are eligible for treatment;
5.  TB deaths among people living with HIV reduced by half;
6.  All people living with HIV and households affected by HIV are addressed in all national social protection strategies and have access to essential care and support;
7.  Countries with punitive laws and practices around HIV transmission, sex work, drug use or homosexuality that block effective responses reduced by half;
8.  HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay and residence eliminated in half of the countries that have such restrictions;
9.  HIV-specific needs of women and girls are addressed in at least half of all national HIV responses;
10. Zero tolerance for gender-based violence. 

On the Malaysian front.

Many Malaysians are unaware of the AIDS risk that threaten our “rakyat”. Nine Malaysians are tested HIV-positive everyday while eight out of 10 lack knowledge on HIV and AIDS. 

Ironically, these staggering figures are no longer presumptuously associated with the act of unsterile syringe exchange by drug users  but by the escalating number of those infected  through unprotected sex.

A total of 506 Malaysians of both sexes, aged 18  and above, were also part of the survey carried out by Durex between Sept 6 until Oct 3.

 The scores also showed that  40 per cent of Malaysians take it lightly when it comes to  using protection when having sex, while 34 per cent said they were clueless about their partners' sexual history.

 The data was revealed during the launch of the Red Carnival event held recently at the Sungei Wang Plaza shopping centre in conjunction with the inaugural World AIDS Day on Dec 1.

The carnival was organized by PT Foundation, a community-based organisation advocating HIV and AIDS awareness and education, with the support of the Malaysian AIDS Council.

PT Foundation chairman Hisham Hussein who launched the carnival said  more than 16,000 people have lost their lives to AIDS-related illnesses and about 90,000 are HIV carriers.

 Reckitt Benckisser senior brand manager (Durex) Foo Sook Chuen said: "The survey findings are a clear indication that most Malaysians know very little about HIV and possess the attitude that will increase the risk of HIV infection.

A person can have HIV up to 10 years without showing any symptoms, so please do not think you can look at someone and tell that they are HIV positive. While you can be in a safe and loving relationship with a person who is HIV positive, you cannot go into a situation blind.

In 2012, it is important to talk to your sexual partner about HIV and STD testing.