'Kung Hei Fat Choy'

Say goodbye to the Year of the Snake, and hello to the Year of the Horse – and maybe some Kjeldsens butter cookies, one of the most popular gifts during the Chinese New Year. The celebration of year 4712 began January 31, and will last as long as two weeks in places such as China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Mauritius, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Chinatowns worldwide.

The Chinese New Year, also called the Lunar New Year and the Spring Festival, brings extended families together for shared meals, the lighting of firecrackers, and the giving of money in red paper envelopes, and the exchange of sweet gifts such as chocolates, candies, and cookies — often Kjeldsens cookies all the way from Denmark.

Every year in the Chinese calendar is associated with one of the 12 animals of the zodiac. People born during the Year of the Horse, this year between January 31, 2014, and February 18, 2015, are said to be active, hard-working, talented, cheerful, witty, well-spoken, social, generous, imaginative, and independent.