Patience, responsibility tools for success in Year of Horse

Canada Post marks the Year of the Horse with domestic and international stamps emphasizing red and gold – traditional Chinese colours that evoke liveliness. The Chinese Lunar New Year begins Friday.

Friday marks the beginning of the Year of the Horse, said to be an expansive and exuberant year that will reward honest opinions and disciplined thinking. Patience and responsibility are your tools for success. Teamwork will bring out the best in everyone. A Horse year is especially lucky for marriages and commitments.

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 Wood Horse begins January 31, 2014 and ends February 18, 2015. Those born in “horse years” will be cheerful, popular and make friends. Positive feedback enhances self -confidence.

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 2014  •  Ambitious Rat has the power to get places fast. You can accomplish ambitious goals and stand out in the process. Activities in a Horse year must be carefully managed to be most effective. Like driving a high-power car, accidents are possible if you speed and breakdowns can be expensive.

Ox in 2014  •   Ox natives prefer stability and security. With Horse pulling you along, your challenge will to be more flexible and adventurous. Wood energy encourages slow growth that supports your best interests. In a year marked by change and reevaluation, have the courage to surrender what no longer works for you

Tiger in 2014  • Tiger’s natural element is Wood. Wood energy encourages slow growth and collaborative efforts. Team projects will be fun and rewarding. Expansive Horse and powerful Tiger are great friends. Horse years demand action and the courage to move in new directions. You’ll discover innovative methods to solve problems or serve others.

Rabbit in 2014  •  Be patient with setbacks or slowdowns early in the year. After September, challenging events demand collaboration and original solutions. Horse asks sentimental Rabbit to surrender what is broken. Major transformations are possible if you refuse to quit in pursuit of your goals.

Dragon in 2014  •  Unexpected challenges and potential transformations well suited to someone as courageous and original as you. A Wood year encourages Dragons to be more compromising. While you may not really care about other’s points of view, at least you see the value in working cooperatively to further your own agenda.

Snake in 2014  •   Horse energy introduces an element of fun and adventure that helps you feel more hopeful. Big changes are happening all around you. Decisions you make this year could set the course for many years to come.
In a year ruled by Wood, it’s best to trust your intuition and follow your heart

Horse in 2014  •  Events just have a way of flowing in your direction when you need them to most. Even disappointments and apparent breakdowns have a silver lining. Your freedom loving and adventurous nature is very much in harmony with the times.

Goat in 2014  •  It will be easier to accept change as an inevitable part of life this year. Let your sense of humor come out to play! Any problem seems less serious if you have an optimistic attitude. It will be easier to feel you are on the right track.

Monkey in 2014  •    The more you join and collaborate with others the more effective you’ll be. Have the discipline and courage to revise what you have started. Be on the lookout for unconventional solutions. This year, magic happens and anything is possible.

Rooster in 2014  • This can be an unsettled year with  opportunity to break free and transform your life in significant ways. Horse energy gives a boost to your confidence. Delays and missteps might make you impatient. When feeling frustrated, discipline yourself not to say whatever you are thinking. The influence of a Wood year encourages show growth and rewards teamwork.

Dog in 2014  •  A positive and openhearted attitude makes you popular with others. You’ll find it easier to forgive and forget other people’s missteps. It’s a lucky year for developing your skills. Rather than please everyone, trust your inner voice and have the courage to follow your own unique path.

Pig in 2014  • In a year promising unexpected changes of fortune, your good nature and hard work opens unexpected doors of opportunity. Courageous action will be rewarded. Be prepared for strong temptations related to extravagance and impulsive choices.

Click here for more on what The Horse 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