As the Year of the Ox begins on Friday, 12 February, BIBO looks at eight amazing facts you probably didn’t know about Chinese New Year, and reveals a very special offer destined to bring good luck and save you $300!!
Did you know this about Chinese New Year?
1. a sly rat
The ox is a revered animal in Chinese culture, known as strong, hardworking and honest. It’s the second of the zodiacal animals, but really should have been the first. According to legend, the Jade Emperor decreed that the order of animals would be decided by the order they walked into his party. The ox was set to get there first, but the sneaky rat tricked him by begging for a ride. As soon as they arrived, the rat scuttled in and was declared the first animal.
2. stubborn boys, serene girls
Boys born in the Year of the Ox are trustworthy and dependable and look out for their family, but can also be a little arrogant at times and really hate it when someone breaks the rules they've set. Girls, meanwhile, are gentle and serene, but have a steely determination to walk down the road they have chosen no matter what. If you have a tricky son or overly determined daughter, you may need some easy ways to relax!
The animals most compatible with an ox are the rat (despite its party stunt!), snake and rooster. The goat, horse and dog don’t make such a good match. The recent years of the ox were: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997 and 2009.
3. going out with a bang
More fireworks explode on Chinese New Year than on any other date, although the resultant smoke pollution has led 500 Chinese cities to either ban them entirely or severely restrict their use. It’s also traditional to burn fake money in honour of dead family members. Celebrations go on for 15 days in China, involving the largest human migration on earth as families travel to be together.
4. fake families
Passing on the family name is so important that many young adults who are single hire fake boyfriends or girlfriends to take to their families at Chinese New Year.
5. quite a pong!
If you’re in China for the celebrations, then don’t take a shower on New Year’s Day as it’s frowned upon in case you wash away the good luck. You’re also not allowed to cut hair, use scissors, swear, argue or say unlucky words such as ‘death’. There’s a full list of taboos here.
6. Chinese New Year tipple
Among the traditional new year drinks is baijiu, or Chinese white wine, made either from fermented sorghum grasses or barley. But beware – it’s potent stuff if consumed neat. A delicious way to try it is mixed into a Sichuan fizz cocktail using chilled, filtered water from your BIBO water bar whizzed up in a Soda Stream.
7. lucky red
The colour red is everywhere at Chinese New Year as is said to bring good fortune. The tradition originates from the legend of Nian, a ferocious beast that terrified villagers until they discovered it was scared of the fiery colour. In fact, red is used all year long to encourage good fortune.
8. everyone gets a year older
In some Asian cultures, the Chinese New Year is like a national birthday – all the population officially become a year older! To add to the potential confusion for westerners, babies are said to be born at the age of one.
Celebrate Chinese New Year and save $300 on your BIBO water bar!
To celebrate Chinese New Year, we're offering our stunning red water bar for only $998 – that’s a saving of $300! We’re not guaranteeing it’ll bring you good luck in the year ahead, but we can guarantee it will provide delicious instant hot or chilled drinks for the whole family. But hurry, this red hot bargain is only available for a limited time from 11–21 February 2021.
Remember, BIBO Water Bars come in 10 dazzling colours. If you’re finding it hard to choose, see what your favourite colour says about you here.
← Older Post Newer Post →