Be true to your heart in Year of the Snake

Canada Post marks the Year of the Snake. The Chinese Lunar New Year began Sunday. The red snake on the domestic issue is featured in a curving position to emulate it gliding upon water. On the international issue, a yellow and jade green snake is gracefully coiled in a figure eight, the luckiest number in Chinese culture. Foiling and rich, strong colours were employed to echo the luxury that the snake treasures.

Sunday marked the beginning of the Year of the Snake, said to be an exciting year, not necessarily for the faint of heart, but one that invites you to be bolder, and more open-minded but to still be true to what your heart tells you.

Chinese New Year is a time to welcome longevity, wealth and prosperity and to eliminate any negative chi from the past.
Traditional festivities include setting off firecrackers, spending time with the family, exchanging gifts and, of course, feasting on “lucky foods”. Those who celebrate give their homes a good spring cleaning beforehand because during the New Year festivities period, sweeping is not allowed, because you don’t want to sweep your good luck away.
Serving a whole chicken during the Chinese New Year season symbolizes family togetherness. Noodles represent a long life – superstition says it’s bad luck to cut them. Both clams and spring rolls symbolize wealth. Tangerines and oranges are passed out freely during Chinese New Year. It is customary to serve fish at the end of the evening meal, symbolizing a wish for abundance in the coming year.

The Year of the Water Snake begins February 10, 2013 and ends January 30, 2014. Those born in “snake years” are said to be intelligent, graceful and cunning. These are the attributes they skillfully use to lavish themselves in the level of luxury they adore.

Use this chart to find your animal sign.
(Note: People born in January and February should consult the chart below the animals predictions to ensure the correct animal sign)

Rat in 2013  •  It’s important to get moving as soon as the year begins. Set specific, practical goals for yourself and your family or primary social group. A Rat who organizes his/her life to reach specific targets is well on the road to success.

Ox in 2013  •   A year of good luck. Water Snake supplies a welcome, calming influence. You’ll be more social and confident. A Snake year rewards ambition. You’ll feel more relaxed with people you don’t know well.

Tiger in 2013  • The year can be an unsettling time for a passionate Tiger. Snake energy can make you suddenly suspicious and unsure about who to trust. A certain brooding undercurrent must not discourage someone as generous and enthusiastic as you.

Rabbit in 2013  •  Rabbits make their own luck by facing life with courage. You have more power than you realize! Your intuition about people should not be underestimated. Troubling emotions or dark family secrets can be brought into the open so healing can begin.

Dragon in 2013  •  Success will be built on setting very specific goals early in the year. Snake encourages diplomacy. This is a year for influential friendships and back room deals. The May 9 New Moon/Solar Eclipse bring a powerful opportunity for recognition. Be confident and patient. Suspicions you cannot shake mean it’s time to consult with someone you trust.

Snake in 2013  •  Energy enhances your natural charm and quiet self-confidence. You’ll easily set and work to achieve ambitious goals. In a Snake year all your qualities, positive and negative, are magnified. This means your tendency to be suspicious can become unreasonable paranoia. Your need to balance injustice can spark bitter retaliation. Take a deep breath and keep your sense of humor. Personal success is the best revenge!

Horse in 2013  •  Horses will make slow but steady progress toward any ambitious goal. Unfinished projects won’t be so much of a worry. Do your homework and you can uncover opportunities to transform your life. The more organized you are, the better.

Goat in 2013  •  Goats enjoy an easy and supportive energy that boosts optimism and confidence. Your loving nature makes you the heart and soul of your family. Your love of beauty is inspired. Snake gives gentle Goats the green light to follow their fondest dreams.

Monkey in 2013  •   You may never feel quite at home, even in your own skin. Rather than worry, be wise and just get on with things. Your best weapons are patience and humor. Ambition combined with good organization attracts good luck! Identify what you intend to achieve in February and you’ll make smart decisions all year long.

Rooster in 2013  • Rooster and Snake are wonderfully compatible. Water Snake brings fabulous opportunities to someone as tactical and ambitious as you. Expect to be busy! Texts and tweets fly! Snake helps you ferret out and use information to your advantage. Be alert for opportunities in even casual conversations.

Dog in 2013  •  The year demands clear thinking. Know what you want to achieve. Calculating Snake rewards Dog’s quiet self-confidence. Political necessity can see you making unexpected choices. You might be unusually flexible about following the rules. Dogs will discover life has grey areas. Careful research and sensitivity about what others feel protects your interests.

Pig in 2013  •  You will have to be strong. Snakes and Pigs are not best friends. Snake brings the potential for intrigue and deception where you least expect it. Be alert and on your toes! This is not the time to take things at face value. Question people’s motives and hold others accountable for what they promise.

Click here for more on what The Snake Year will bring and specifically for for each sign.

January and February born during these dates – Your Chinese Zodiac Sign Is:
02/20/1920 – 02/07/1921    Monkey
02/08/1921 – 01/27/1922    Rooster
01/28/1922 – 02/15/1923    Dog
02/16/1923 – 02/04/1924    Pig
02/05/1924 – 01/23/1925    Rat
01/24/1925 – 02/12/1926    Ox
02/13/1926 – 02/01/1927    Tiger
02/02/1927 – 01/22/1928    Rabbit
01/23/1928 – 02/09/1929    Dragon
02/10/1929 – 01/29/1930    Snake
01/30/1930 – 02/16/1931    Horse
02/17/1931 – 02/05/1932    Goat
02/06/1932 – 01/25/1933    Monkey
01/26/1933 – 02/13/1934    Rooster
02/14/1934 – 02/03/1935    Dog
02/04/1935 – 01/23/1936    Pig
01/24/1936 – 02/10/1937    Rat
02/11/1937 – 01/30/1938    Ox
01/31/1938 – 02/18/1939    Tiger
02/19/1939 – 02/07/1940    Rabbit
02/08/1940 – 01/26/1941    Dragon
01/27/1941 – 02/14/1942    Snake
02/15/1942 – 02/04/1943    Horse
02/05/1943 – 01/24/1944    Goat
01/25/1944 – 02/12/1945    Monkey
02/13/1945 – 02/01/1946    Rooster
02/02/1946 – 01/21/1947    Dog
01/22/1947 – 02/09/1948    Pig
02/10/1948 – 01/28/1949    Rat
01/29/1949 – 02/16/1950    Ox
02/17/1950 – 02/05/1951    Tiger
02/06/1951 – 01/26/1952    Rabbit
01/27/1952 – 02/13/1953    Dragon
02/14/1953 – 02/02/1954    Snake
02/03/1954 = 01/23/1955    Horse
01/24/1955 – 02/11/1956    Goat
02/12/1956 – 01/30/1957    Monkey
01/31/1957 – 02/17/1958    Rooster
02/18/1958 – 02/07/1959    Dog
02/08/1959 – 01/27/1960    Pig
01/28/1960 – 02/14/1961    Rat
02/15/1961 – 02/04/1962    Ox
02/05/1962 – 01/24/1963    Tiger
01/25/1963 – 02/12/1964    Rabbit
02/13/1964 – 02/01/1965    Dragon
02/02/1965 – 01/20/1966    Snake
01/21/1966 – 02/08/1967    Horse
02/09/1967 – 01/29/1968    Goat
01/30/1968 – 02/16/1969    Monkey
02/17/1969 – 02/05/1970    Rooster
02/06/1970 – 01/26/1971    Dog
01/27/1971 – 02/14/1972    Pig
02/15/1972 – 02/02/1973    Rat
02/03/1973 – 01/22/1974    Ox
01/23/1974 – 02/10/1975    Tiger
02/11/1975 – 01/30/1976    Rabbit
01/31/1976 – 02/17/1977    Dragon
02/18/1977 – 02/06/1978    Snake
02/07/1978 – 01/27/1979    Horse
01/28/1979 – 02/15/1980    Goat
02/16/1980 – 02/04/1981    Monkey
02/05/1981 – 01/24/1982    Rooster
01/25/1982 – 02/12/1983    Dog
02/13/1983 – 02/01/1984    Pig
02/02/1984 – 02/19/1985    Rat
02/20/1985 – 02/08/1986    Ox
02/09/1986 – 01/28/1987    Tiger
01/29/1987 – 02/16/1988    Rabbit
02/17/1988 – 02/05/1989    Dragon
02/06/1989 – 01/26/1990    Snake
01/27/1990 – 02/14/1991    Horse
02/15/1991 – 02/03/1992    Goat
02/04/1992 – 01/22/1993    Monkey
01/23/1993 – 02/09/1994    Rooster
02/10/1994 – 01/30/1995    Dog
01/31/1995 – 02/18/1996    Pig
02/19/1996 – 02/06/1997    Rat
02/07/1997 – 01/27/1998    Ox
01/28/1998 – 02/15/1999    Tiger
02/16/1999 – 02/04/2000    Rabbit
02/05/2000 – 01/23/2001    Dragon
01/24/2001 – 02/11/2002    Snake
02/12/2002 – 01/31/2003    Horse
02/01/2003 – 01/21/2004    Goat
01/22/2004 – 02/08/2005    Monkey
02/09/2005 – 01/28/2006    Rooster
01/29/2006 – 02/17/2007    Dog
02/18/2007 – 02/06/2008    Pig
02/07/2008 – 01/25/2009    Rat
01/26/2009 – 02/13/2010    Ox
02/14/2010 – 02/02/2011    Tiger
02/03/2011 – 01/22/2012    Rabbit
01/23/2012 –  02/09/2013   Dragon