New Year's Resolutions That Society Commonly Vow To Perform

By Evan Redmond

Every year, millions of people set out to make a change in their lifestyle that improves them in one form or another. Yes, the new year's resolution is as popular as it's ever been in 2010, and many vows have been made to drop old habits of the past and bring in new and improved ones.

Let's take a look at some of the most popular new year's resolutions that always seem to be hard to keep. This article will focus on three really common ones that I'm sure you've heard at some point or another in your life. Maybe you've even made one of these yourself.

How about the people who say they'll no longer smoke cigarettes? You probably know someone who's made this claim. Perhaps they've made it during the course of several years.

Many people unfortunately cave into temptations after a week or two, sneaking in one cigarette that ultimately turns into more.

Another one that I'm always amused by is the resolution to go to the gym regularly. This might very well be the most popular one out there.

It's never uncommon for me to see the gym more crowded with some new faces during the first few weeks of the year. I would imagine this comes from that very change people are looking to make in their lives.

Another popular one is the case of the overworked person who's looking to relax a bit more. This one doesn't sound so bad, and it shouldn't be too hard to pull off in theory.

In a perfect world, we'd all be able to spend less time working. Unfortunately, reality soon settles in. Whether it has to do with bills we couldn't otherwise pay or the fact that our employers require us to put in extra time, we often find ourselves unable to follow through with this commitment.

While all of these things should be doable at some point, a lot of it all depends on timing. It's hard to force our will upon ourselves simply because of the time of year. We can accomplish these things at any point in time, and we should never be afraid to make them happen. - 30411

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About the writer: aside from goal setting, this author also frequently shares his knowledge about porcelain dinnerware set and home trends dining sets.

Learn About Oriental Firework And Celebrations

By John Chan

Find out the about the myths that surround the use of fireworks during the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Noise pollution is the last thing that the Chinese people think about throughout the long festival of New Year. The reason for this is that they burst fireworks in large quantity to give a sound welcome to the year to come.

The New Year festivities hold a place of importance in the life of the Chinese people. This is the time when they revive their love and bonding with the friends and family and celebrate the festival with its numerous activities. One such activity is the bursting of fireworks on the last day of the festival.

The New Year is the time when the people of China feel free to bring back some truly old customs and make use of them for the purpose of celebration. The blowing of fireworks is one such exclusive tradition which has immense importance as far as Chinese society is concerned. The tradition of fireworks has been in use for centuries in China and it has a great significance in China during the coming of New Year.

The fireworks faith

As usual you will come across many explanations related to the bursting of firecrackers which are part of the legends the Chinese people believe in. One of the stories is that the crackers are burst so that the dragon which is sleeping wakes up with noise that the crackers make. This dragon is the symbol of rain which is required in summer for the growing of the crops.

Since China is an agricultural society the importance of rain and agriculture friendly weather cannot be denied. Hence they have adopted this belief which serves as a viable excuse to make some noise pollution during the New Year celebrations.

Protection from Evil Spirits

The other story which some people in Chinese society believe in is that by making all that noise will drive the evil spirit away in the beginning of the year. This will lead to good luck and well being and keep the coming year happy and evil free.

The Chinese New Year has a custom of parade during this time. Those who are taking part in the parade carry firecrackers with them. It is a ritual to throw the cracker at the feet of the dragon. This is done with the belief that the noise made by the cracker will keep the dragon awake.

Fireworks and dragon are interconnected as far as the Chinese New Year is concerned. It is a truly amazing spectacle to see a colorful dragon dance which is very attractive to the foreigners. The true spirit of the New Year celebration vibrates around the dragon dance and fire work blowing. The crackers keep going off as the dragon dances at the center of it.

The aim of blowing up all these fire crackers is to keep the evil spirits away. In some cultures firecrackers are believed to drive the good spirits away because of the loud noise but when in China the traditional beliefs say otherwise. - 30411

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Chinese fireworks are highlight of the celebrations for many. If youwould like to read about other Chinese traditions please follow the links.

Simple Facts Of Traditional New Year Greetings From Orient

By John Chan

Find out about the traditional and modern ways of greeting each other on the event of the Chinese New Year.

If you are going to be heading towards China during New Year's time you must expect a lot of people coming up to you and saying Guo Nian Hao. This means Happy New Year in their local language. Don't be surprised if it's early February and you are getting to hear people wishing each other happy New Year because the Chinese New Year falls on a totally different date.

The difference in date concerning New Years is all because Chinese follow lunar calendar. Their New Year depends on the moon cycle rather than the date like 1st of January. The Chinese people celebrate their New Year in a conventional way where they follow a lot of old customs and it's a time for joyful celebrations.

As soon as the lunar New Year begins in China, people who are unknown will wish you, as this is such a happy occasion for them. Wherever you may go even if it's a market, you will be wished a Guo Nian Hao by the staff. At this time of celebration the whole nation rises to the occasion.

There is however a set time limit during which the use of this greeting prevails. The time period is the first five days of the New Year. After that the use of this greeting is not considered to be part of the tradition. However Guo Nian Hao is not the only Chinese New Year greeting that surface during this time of the year.

The New Year for Chinese is a time when people hope and pray for abundance in future for everyone including themselves for the rest of the year. The Chinese people show their happiness by using terms like Hokkien Keong hee huat chye, Gonxi Facai for best wishes and success in life to others.

As New Year represent everything good the Chinese people also pray for a good amount of crop harvest in the coming year and they use certain terms to wish abundant crops to everyone in future.

There is another form of Chinese New Year greeting which is known as red envelop. According to this the children are given some money in envelop instead of saying any greeting. Red envelop is known to keep evil away from your life in future.

With the passing of time the Chinese people are using more and more of the new ways of wishing New Year in their own way without keeping up with the traditions. Sending New Year card was never a part of the ancient culture which is now generally sent to each other for best wishes.

likewise with the advent of the internet you have people exchanging e-cards in order to greet each other a Happy Chinese New Year. The government too has its own way of greeting the public with a massive fireworks display. - 30411

About the Author:

Chinese new year cooking is colorful, varied and delicious. For further info on new year greetings in Chinese follow the preceding hyperlinks.

Oriental Symbols And New Year Decorations

By John Chan

Find out how the Chinese people adorn their homes and streets with specially crafted Chinese New Year decorations.

In the lunar calendar, the Chinese New Year plays a vital role and you wouldn't be surprised to see Chinese families decorating their dwellings with various Chinese New Year crafts prepared for this particular festival. From inside the houses to outsides on the city streets, China shines in color throughout the season.

From beautiful blossoms to platters of food there is a wide variety of Chinese New Year decoration items that are reserved for the occasion. There are certain decoration items that have become symbols for this time of the year. The array of decoration items is wide and colorful.

Plants and flowers play a significant role in the New Year decorations in China. Besides Chinese people are famous for their attachment to the nature. During the New Years event, houses of Chinese people are seen blooming with different flowers and plants that symbolize growth and prosperity that promise to come in the coming year.

Plum blossoms are generally used natural blossoms for the decorations around this time because it is during this New Year time that they starts blooming. They are bound together with bamboo and pine springs. This unique combination signifies the aggregation of friends and family during season of the year.

dependability and perseverance are amongst the symbolic values the plum blossoms are supposed to represent. The bamboo represents compatibility due to its flexible nature and the evergreen pine is the classic symbol of longevity. Other commonly used flowers include the azalea, narcissus, water lily and the peony.

Fruits too have a role in New Year decoration and are usually found in Chinese households during the season. Oranges and tangerines are taken to be most popular and are often brought by friends who come over for a visit. Tangerines symbolize maintenance of a long relationship and happiness.

Candy trays are perhaps the best gifts during the Chinese New Year season and as far as kids are involved, they wouldn't disagree! These candy trays with a large amount of candies are a specially designed item for the New Year. They are known as trays of togetherness and a large number of interesting varieties of most yummy candies are kept on them.

This candy tray also has another ritual following it up where an adult takes a candy and replaces it by keeping a red envelope in the tray that consists of some kind of good luck symbol for the peopleoffering it. Generally the candy tray consists of candied melon of different variety like lychee nut, peanuts, coconut, and cumquat etc. all of which have special meanings.

The New Year decoration items are mostly focused on the particular animal sign that represents that particular year. This Chinese tradition is prevalent for ages now and is still followed. - 30411

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Chinese new year decorations are a wonderful sight to behold. If you are interested in Chinese new years animals follow the links.

Eastern New Year A Valuable Learning process For Kids

By John Chan

How do kids celebrate New Year in China? Take a look at what the Chinese kids do during the New Year.

In China during the New Year all men women and kids have a fabulous time doing all sorts of traditional rituals but those who enjoy maximum are the verysmall children.

Younger kids has the maximum fun as they are not old enough to take the responsibility of supervising and managing the things that needs to be done for the New Year celebrations. Therefore they are given the liberty of simply celebrating the Chinese New Year except sometimes helping the elders in the household activities.

Chinese New Year is the greatest time of the year in China for adults and kids alike as they bring back the old customs for the celebration. But amongst all this fun it also has educational value as the children find out a lot about their ancient tradition and their origin while having fun.

The New year celebrations become a history lesson as far as the kids are concerned but it is a history lesson they learn through fun and games and not sitting in the class room so they neither forget it nor become uninterested. In fact the learning becomes so enjoyable that these things stay in their mind forever.

The richness of Chinese tradition is apparent during the New Year when it manifests through various activities. The China in its true colors is presented to the children in such a style that the kids easily understand them. The fun begins with the permission of staying awake till late at night and taking part in all sorts of activities.

The learning process especially in Chinese history is present all through the celebrations where they are encouraged to play certain games that are deep rooted in Chinese culture. For instance while playing dominoes they get to learn that the game originated in China and is being played here for last thousand years.

Another game which parents encourage the children to play is an 8th century game of cards. Here the parents create drawings on the cards and kids are required to write a story from the visual. Jianzi game is also played with lot of eagerness which is one of the ancient games of China resembling the game of hacky sack played by the kids in modern times.

The greatest joy is the red envelop which the children receive which contains money given by the elders. Hong Bao as the tradition is known as is the best custom of Chinese New Year tradition for the kids as they get pocket money to spend on all the nice things that are present as well as it brings them good luck.

The New Year celebration is spread over a couple of days when dragon dance ,lantern festivals and other parades are also held which aregreat learning experience for the children. All in all they have a gala time. - 30411

About the Author:

Chinese new year food is wholesome, lively and tasty . If you want some ideas about Chinese new year kids activities follow the links.

Eastern New Year Crafts

By John Chan

Explore the creative streak in Chinese people in form of art and craft items that are made during the arrival of the New Year.

The Chinese people as ancient history shows, follows the lunar calendar. Many important dates are recorded in this Chinese calendar. But the celebration of New Year is the important date for the Chinese.

Just to make it obvious the Chinese New Year does not begin on the first of January. Their New Year is dependent upon the cycles of the moon so it falls on a totally different date than the Gregorian solar calendar.

The Chinese New Year is a unique festive time for the Chinese people. The festive mood of the people then are very high and during the whole season, lots of celebrations and happenings are seen on the streets of China. While having these celebrations, the Chinese have developed many traditions like making New Year crafts to welcome the New Year.

Amongst the firecrackers and the fiestas are the Chinese New Year crafts that are created to add some color to the festivals. The wide range of New Year crafts makes a great display of the diversity and creativity that is present in the people of China.

The New Year displays a whole lot of varied events such as firework show, the exchange of gifts and the festival of lantern. Everyday has its own range of Chinese item which are meant to signify the event of the day. These Chinese crafts sell out easily during the New Year season.

Since every Chinese New Year is assigned an animal sign it is but natural to find the New Year crafts of that year to revolve around the animal of the year. This serves many different purposes in the Chinese community.

First of all it is a mode of keeping this ancient tradition eternal. Secondly you have all sorts of artists and craftsmen getting a chance to unleash their creativity along with which they have a great market to make their projects commercially worthwhile during the season.

These Chinese New Year crafts serve good utility purposes when they are used as gifts to be given to people who belongto the Chinese culture. Not only are the crafts inspired by the animal of the year, but also these New Year gifts are often presented to people who were born in the year of the same animal.

The New Year crafts are not just stuck to the animal of the year. Besides that, a wide range of these crafts are specially created for the festive season. The fireworks created for the celebrations are innovative as well as beautiful and are supposed to an important New Year craft.

You will find a special range of craft during Chinese New Year in form of lanterns. The Chinese are heavily into fortune predictions and various crafts pertaining to it are sold in the markets. There are also a separate set of craft objects that are made especially for the adolescents during the New Year. - 30411

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Chinese new year crafts are something that can be appreciated by young and old alike. If you would like to learn more about Chinese new year greeting follow the links herein.

Relaxing Into the New Year With Massage Therapy

By Adriana Noton

Everyone wants to start the New Year off with changes that will make their life better. For many people, this means getting healthier, including finding ways to relax and reduce stress. One way to start the year off right is to relax into the New Year with massage therapy.

Massage therapy is a great way to begin the New Year relieving stress and improving ones overall health. It helps one relax the muscles, decrease the heart rate, boost blood circulation, increase the hormones called endorphins which are natural pain relievers, and reduce blood pressure, With massage therapy, one will feel more relaxed, alert, focused, and less stressed.

Massage therapy can benefit all ages. Elderly persons in need of palliative care will benefit from massage therapy. As well, a massage can help infants relieve a baby with belly gas. It can help maintain firm muscles and improve blood flow to and from the heart. A massage boosts circulation thereby removing wastes and toxins from the body much faster. Massage therapy supplies can also ease muscle and ligament tension which reduces pain. As well, muscles spasms will be greatly decreased. Massage therapy also improves deep breathing which can help one manage stress and help people manage breathing conditions such as asthma.

One can choose from a number of different types of massages such as: a Deep Tissue Massage will soothe deep sore muscles and tissues, a Swedish Massage increases the flow of energy through the body, and a Hot Stone Massage relaxes the muscles so that more pressure can be applied to the area. Massage therapy has a therapeutic affect and improves one's circulatory, immune, muscular, and nervous systems. Massage therapy will involve using massage oils. Different oils have different benefits. For instance, safflower is a blood purifier, almond oil reduces swelling, and olive oil loosens tight muscles. These oils naturally enhance the massage experience. Essential massage oils are also used for aromatherapy. Aromatherapy helps to improve ones emotional and mental well being.

Massage therapy has become a popular form of treatment for not only athletes, but for people from all walks of life. Such lifestyle stresses as increased work hours, more physical activities, and more financial stresses, have resulted in many people seeking massage therapy. A qualified and certified massage therapist can identify the problem area and provide much needed relief, whether it is stress relief or relief from a physical injury. Relief from stress can even help ones physical health. For instance, high levels of stress increases the risk of heart disease. Massage therapy is a healthy way to reduce mental stress, tension-related headaches, anxiety, and promotes ones ability to achieve calm thinking, a relaxed state of mental alertness, and enhances an overall sense of positive well being.

If your previous year was full of stress and anxiety, starting the New Year with relaxing massage therapy will help you prepare to cope with any new stresses that come your way in the New Year. Massage therapy is an effective therapeutic treatment for restoring one's spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental well being. - 30411

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Using the right massage therapy supplies can improve your overall therapeutic experience. Here are some possible resources for finding quality massage therapy equipment.