Hello and happy New Year's Day. I know, I know. That was last month, you say, way over there at the other end of gone and already (wilfully) forgotten January. But today is the Chinese New Year's Day. Also called Spring Festival, it has been celebrated for more than 4,000 years and is the most important annual event for Chinese people.

It is said to have originated during the Shang Dynasty, between the 17th and 11th centuries BC, and was observed to fight off the monster Nian, whose diet consisted of children and farm animals.

Not necessarily in that order.

But Nian had a weak point. Not unlike many Everton supporters, and more besides, he hated the colour red. And loud noises. So people decorate their houses in red and let off fireworks at this time of the year.

Like Christmas here and Thanksgiving in the US in China, it is a time of year when Chinese families come together, fight and, when it's all over, are very relieved they won't have to meet again for another whole year.

Some families.

The festival lasts for 15 days in some parts of China, from the first to 15th day of the lunar month. Most employees will have a week off work, while students take one month from school. What’s not to like?

Based on Chinese lunar calendar, the new year has no exact date and changes each year. Generally it falls between January 21st and February 20th of the Gregorian calendar.

The Chinese lunar calendar also defines the 12-year repeating cycle of the Chinese zodiac, where each year is named after an animal. And this is the year of the Monkey which is not believed to be a particularly lucky year for Monkey people. These would include those born in 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, and 2004. On which note, good luck to all Monkey people. I am, of course, a Dragon myself.

The word China for that country is thought to have originated in the Middle Ages period and may be derived from the Sanskrit Cina-s, meaning "the Chinese". The earliest European usage is in Italian, by Marco Polo. It could also derive from the Qin dynasty which ruled in the third century BC. Latinised as Sina, its give us words such as sinologist, for an expert on Chinese culture.