Well, let me tell ya somethin’ about this Chinese New Year thing, the zodiac calendar, you know? It’s a whole lot of animals, and each year’s got a different one. They say it means somethin’, like if you’re born in the year of the Pig, you gonna be… well, like a pig, I guess. Don’t ask me what that means exactly, but that’s what them city folks believe.
What’s this Zodiac thing all about?

Now, they got this whole system, see? Twelve animals, goin’ round and round. First, it’s the Rat. Yeah, a rat! Then comes the Ox, strong and steady like my old mule. After that, you got the Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon – a fancy one, that is. Then the Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster – the one that wakes ya up in the mornin’ – Dog, and finally, the Pig. Every year gets one of them critters.
They say each animal year has somethin’ special ’bout it. Like, the Rat, they’re smart and quick, always findin’ a way to get by, kinda like my neighbor’s boy, always sneakin’ cookies. The Ox? Hard workin’, dependable, you know. The Tiger? Fierce and brave, like that stray cat that always fights with my dog.
- Rat: Smart and quick.
- Ox: Strong and hardworking.
- Tiger: Brave and fierce.
- Rabbit: Gentle and kind.
- Dragon: Powerful and lucky.
- Snake: Wise and mysterious.
- Horse: Energetic and free-spirited.
- Goat: Calm and gentle.
- Monkey: Clever and playful.
- Rooster: Proud and punctual.
- Dog: Loyal and honest.
- Pig: Generous and easygoing.
And so on, for all the animals. They say if you’re born in a certain year, you get some of them animal’s traits. Me? I ain’t tellin’ ya what year I was born in, but let’s just say I ain’t no scaredy-cat Rabbit, that’s for sure.
How to find your animal year.
Now, figuring out your animal ain’t rocket science, even I can do it, and I ain’t never seen the inside of no schoolhouse. You just gotta know what year you were born in. They got a whole chart, see? It goes way back, like, before I was even a twinkle in my daddy’s eye. And it goes way forward too. They say this thing goes all the way from 1900 to 2031, maybe even longer for all I know. City folks got time to figure all that out.
So, you find your year, and then you see which animal it belongs to. Like, if you were born in 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, or 2020, you’re a Rat. If you were born in 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, or 2021, you’re an Ox. And so on and so forth. It’s simple enough, even for an old woman like me.

What it all means, I reckon.
Now, whether all this zodiac stuff is true or not, I couldn’t tell ya. Some folks swear by it, say it tells ’em all sorts of things about their personality and their future. Me? I just take it with a grain of salt. Life’s too short to worry about whether you’re a Rooster or a Dog, you know? Just try to be a good person, that’s what I say. Work hard, treat folks right, and maybe don’t go around snortin’ like a pig, unless you really are one, I guess.
Anyways, this Chinese New Year thing, it’s a big deal for them city folks. They have parades and parties and all sorts of fancy food. Me? I’ll just stick to my usual dumplings and maybe watch some fireworks. As long as it brings good luck, I ain’t complainin’. And who knows, maybe that Pig year ain’t so bad after all, at least they got plenty to eat, right?
But if you ask me, all these animals just mean it’s another year gone by. Another year of workin’ hard, another year of watchin’ the seasons change. And that’s somethin’ I understand, no matter what animal they stick on the calendar.
So, that’s the gist of it, this Chinese New Year and its zodiac animals. Don’t get too caught up in it, just enjoy the festivities, eat some good food, and hope for a good year. That’s my advice, anyway, take it or leave it.
And if you happen to be a Dragon, well, good for you. Maybe you’ll bring me some luck, eh? I could sure use a bit of that.

Tags: [Chinese New Year, Zodiac Calendar, Animal Signs, Chinese Astrology, Lunar Calendar, Birth Year, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Chinese Culture, Personality Traits, New Year Traditions]