the buzz log

This year, you'll need all the luck you can get.

Searches for "chinese new year" (+53%), "lunar new year" (+141%) and "year of the ox" (30%) have been revving up on Yahoo!. Besides well-wishes, people are looking to up crafts, recipes, and predictions for the year 4707.

Speaking of predictions — yeah, they're not all good. Some prognosticators are saying the Ox shows no fire in the belly to get the economy up. Others say there's too much fire, and that's not so good. Luckily, President Barack Obama happens to be an Ox man himself and, after initial trouble, might score some diplomatic pluses.

While Lunar New Year may be best known as an event celebrated by the Chinese, cultures such as the Korean, Hmong, Thai, and Vietnamese also observe the holiday. Like any occasion celebrated for nearly 5,000 years, a whole lot of customs, superstitions, and traditions from all over Asia have emerged — like not cleaning the house on New Year's Day so as not to sweep out good luck.

But, if you want a chance to renew your resolutions, guard your house against evil spirits, and ensure good fortune, here are a few preparations you can make to start the year ... again ... to your advantage.

Sweets for the Sweet
Get an eight-sided prosperity tray for visitors. Usually this tray's stocked with candied ginger, lotus root, lotus seeds, young coconut, melon, and kumquat. Also have round offerings, like pomelos (the Chinese homonym sounds like "to have"), mandarin oranges, and dumplings on hand. Why? Round denotes coming full circle and unity. For a dose of authenticity, "nian'gao" is a glutinous rice flour mixed with sugar and water then steamed. The word "gao" also translates to "ascension," so eating this helps one ascend in the coming year.

Show Me the Money
New Year cards basically adopted the western tradition of passing paper greetings, and they've been available online for years. But children and unmarried people really reap big this time of year, since they're eligible for the "lai see" or "hungbao," red envelopes stuffed with crisp cash. Ideally, give amounts divisible by two (to symbolize double greetings and appreciation), but single $1 bills can add up to a nice booty. Also, while the economy may not entirely permit you to settle all your debts, traditionally paying off who you owe by the Lunar New Year starts you off on a clean slate.

Getting the Red Up
Households hang up red paper scrolls called "hui chun," red couplets with four-character inscriptions. They typically mean things like "May your spirits be at ease and prosperous," "Peace upon entering and exiting," or "May one get one's heart's desires." Some are meant specifically for the kitchen or door. If you like the look (or are really paranoid), keep them up for year-round luck and to ward off monsters.

What to Burn (and What Not to Burn)
Firecrackers scare off evil spirits, but setting them off in the living room probably violates some fire code. The compromise: hanging fake firecrackers. People do burn incense, often sandlewood, and especially at ancestral shrines, temples, or family burial sites. Finally, you're entitled to burn some so-called "hell money," the fake stuff to pay respect to your forebears and make sure the afterlife's comfortable.

Blossom Anew
Try not to think of global warming, but appreciate any flowers that bloom during New Year festivities: That may signal a particularly good year ahead. Ideal blooms: peach blossom (long life and a charm against evil), kumquat trees, narcissus, and cherry blossoms.

1. Chinese New Year
2. Year of the Ox
3. 2009 Year of the Ox Predictions
4. Chinese New Year Card
5. Chinese New Year Greetings
6. Chinese New Year Songs
7. Chinese New Year Wallpaper
8. Chinese New Year Decorations
9. Chinese New Year 2009 Horoscope
10. Happy Chinese New Year in Chinese
11. Chinese New Year Cartoon
12. Chinese New Year Food
13. Chinese New Year Wishes

Filed under: New Year, Holidays, Predictions, Decorating, Barack Obama, Chinese New Year

Storms bogging down lunar new year celebrations? Sounds like a rat trick to us.

The lunar year 4706 alights this week, just when China is seeing its worst winter in decades. Blame the rat's water element: The Chinese zodiac (the second most-searched new year's term after "chinese new year") also cranks back to the beginning of the cycle, making this the Year of the Rat. Twelve critters showed up at Buddha's earthly farewell party and got a year named after them. The rodent got first dibs by misleading the tiger about the race date, then riding on an ox's back before scurrying forward to land the first spot. Tricky.

The weather hasn't dampened the Buzz festivities world-wide: Searches for the occasion are higher than last year, with lookups into New Year celebrations (+623%), greetings (+242%), food (+475%), lion dance (+433%), songs (+44%), and traditions.

The main animal attraction hasn't been repulsing party-seekers either. Queries into "chinese new year rat" (243%) and "year of the rat" (+69%) have scampered into the top 5,000 searches in the past week. Not only that, he has generated 20% more interest than the pig did last year. People have also been soliciting his prognostications with "year of the rat 2008 predictions chinese astrology."

Nothing is ever simple with "chinese calendar" (+29%), of course. February 7 doesn't just fall under the sign of the rat, but the earth rat (each creature falls under five elements). All these characteristics come into play, and has spawned predictions about investments, floods, and even the next U.S. president. But really, how much can you trust a rat?

Filed under: New Year, Holidays, Animals, Predictions, Chinese New Year