2013 is the Year of the Snake in the Asian zodiac calendar. In case you don’t know the order of animals of our zodiac, corresponding to 12 year cycles, here it is:

Rat
Ox
Tiger
Rabbit
Dragon
Snake
Horse
Sheep
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
Boar/Pig

Legend has it that the Emperor of China wanted to select 12 animals for the zodiac calendar and a race was set to determine which animals would be selected. The clever Rat came in first on the nose of the mighty Ox, followed by the other 10 animals, including the mythical Dragon. There are many children’s books at the public libraries about this zodiac story.

Many Asians believe that the year of a person’s birth determines that person’s personality traits, degree of success and happiness through their lifetime.

So today February 10 is the start of the Lunar New Year for the Chinese lunar calendar. We Japanese start our zodiac calendar on the 1st of January, so the Year of the snake corresponds to the calendar year for us. There are several “snakes” in my life: two best friends married to each other in Hawaii, a niece, another female friend here in town.

One particular zodiac calendar I refer to says that snake people are “wise & intense with a tendency towards physical beauty. Vain and high tempered.” Hmmn, not exactly flattering characteristics, but then the snake is an enigmatic, slippery creature. Year of the Snake years for those born in: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, and 2013.

Don’t miss the fabulous Lunar New Year celebration coming up on Feb. 16 sponsored by Tucson Chinese Cultural Center:

And later this month is a popular yearly event at the Himmel Park Branch library on Feb. 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:

Chinese New Year Celebration

Celebrate the Year of the Snake with light refreshments and fun-filled activities such as Chinese Calligraphy, face painting, and crafts. The University of Arizona’s Purple Bamboo Ensemble will perform.

Happy New Year of the Snake.