Kung Hei Fat Choi everyone, Happy New Year of the Fire Horse. Although the Chinese New Year Calandar cycle is every 12 years, the year of the Fire Horse is only once every 60 years. After shedding the year of the snake in 2025, 2026 is meant to be an abundant year for all. This is something I am hoping for anyway, after a somewhat stressful 2025.
Having recently been in Hong Kong I took the opportunity of snapping a few shots of some of the decorations I saw.
Hong Kong can always be relied upon for ornate decorations whatever the event.
The lotus blossom is a powerful, auspicious symbol for Chinese New Year representing purity, harmony and abundance.
We stayed in Wanchai on Hong Kong Island and below are photos I took at different times of the day from our window.
Above is a video playing of different images of horses.
In case you are wondering what animal you are I have added a photo of a Chinese New Year Calandar. I am a dog, faithful and loyal. Which one are you?
How did these particular animals get chosen to represent the Chinese Calandar? For your information I looked this up!
According to legend, the 12 Chinese New Year animals were chosen by the Jade Emperor or Buddha to compete in a great race across a river. This was to determine their place in the zodiac. The first 12 animals to finish secured their spots, resulting in the order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
1. Rat: Won by hitching a ride on the Ox and jumping ahead at the end.
2. Ox: Diligent, but outsmarted by the Rat.
3. Tiger: Strong, powered through the current.
4. Rabbit: Nimble, hopped across stones and rode a log.
5. Dragon: Strong, but stopped to help others.
6. Snake: Hid on the Horse’s hoof.
7. Horse: Spooked by the snake.
8. Sheep; 9. Monkey; 10. Rooster: Worked together to cross.
11. Dog: Delayed by bathing in the river.
12. Pig: Stopped to eat and nap.
🔥 Wishing everyone a Happy Year of the Fire Horse 🔥
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Wishing you a happy day and year ahead, Ali! I’m a rat and my husband’s a snake, which doesn’t seem to bode very well, but I expect you enjoyed bathing in the river xx
Haha thanks Jo
Let’s hope you’re correct Ali and 2026 as an abundant year for all.
No harm in hoping 😁
I’m an ox and Mr ET is a rat. Let’s hope this is a great year, abundance in many positive ways.
We can only hope 🙏
I’d never heard that legend about the race across a river – love it! I am a sheep and Chris a monkey, so maybe that means we work well together?
Thanks Sarah
No I had to look it up and thought it was a good story. It looks like you work very well together 😁
I love the folktale about how the animals were chosen! Here’s hoping the year of the horse is full of good things 🙂
Thanks Meg, yes it’s a quirky tale
Very exciting that you were there for the New Year festivities. Perhaps less crowds is not a bad thing. It was rather quieter in Singapore too.
Thanks Ju-Lyn, we left just before but it was still great to see all the decorations