Chinese New Year...London style!

With the new year now well underway, we’ve now got the best part of another year to wait for the next new year celebrations...right? Wrong!



The Chinese New Year hits us in February, and this gives everyone the chance to participate in what is always a very colourful and lively celebration.



Chinese New Year is cause for massive celebration in Chinese communities around the world. And because Chinese New Year is based on the solar and lunar calendars, the actual date does vary each year. But it’s always somewhere between late January and early February.



The Chinese calendar is represented by the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac and whilst 2010 was the year of the tiger, 2011 sees a slightly more timid creature come to the fore – the rabbit! For reference, the other ten animals are the dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, pig, rat and ox.



London in particular is a great place to be during the Chinese New Year celebrations, and the countless carnivals in Central London are amongst the biggest in the world outside of Asia, with hundreds of thousands of people joining in unison to enjoy the occasion. Whilst the Chinese New Year falls on February 3rd 2011, London’s main celebrations normally launch on the Sunday after – which is the 6th of February in 2011.

For those keen to get involved and savour the fantastic atmosphere, the main London Chinatown Chinese Association celebrations happen around Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Chinatown itself, which will host stalls and other displays.



You can expect to see an array of activity, including dance, music and acrobatics, as well as firecrackers, Chinese dragons and lions.



It’s not just about the celebrations on the day itself though. A buzz normally begins to permeate through the city in the lead up to the big occasion.



For example, many of London’s Chinese restaurants mark the New Year with special menus and other events. And the world famous Victoria and Albert Museum marks the Chinese New Year with a day of free activities, which takes place as early as the 30th of January.



And the day before the main celebrations kick-off in London, the Wallace Collection is offering a special silk painting workshop, which uses motifs and patterns influenced by oriental art.



The Chinese New Year is a fantastic time to be in London and, given the crowds, accommodation will be in demand. But there are plenty of London hotels to choose from. And given that the UK capital has a wonderful transport infrastructure, you needn’t worry too much about your hotel being too far away from the action.