Today officially marks the Year of the Ram/Sheep/Goat.

Rams were born in 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955, 1943, 1931, 1919.  According to this source, people born in a year of the Goat are generally believed to be gentle mild-mannered, shy, stable, sympathetic, amicable, and brimming with a strong sense of kindheartedness and justice. They have very delicate thoughts, strong creativity, and perseverance, and acquire professional skills well. Although they look gentle on the surface, they are tough on the inside, always insisting on their own opinions in their minds. They have strong inner resilience and excellent defensive instincts.

This is a special year for us because my daughter was born in the year of the ram, which means she’ll be turning 12 this year (yikes!).   Our family is not very traditional but we do gather together for a big meal and give red envelopes to the kids, and the kids have a week-long celebration at their school.

Even if it’s not a tradition for your family, you can still enjoy Year of the Ram celebrations around the Bay Area.  The Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco is the biggest and most widely-attended event of its kind in the country. Want to avoid the crowds (and inevitable rain)?  Check out other lunar new year events happening around SF here.

Happy New Year!

Image from here.