The Golden Fire Pig comes only once every 600 years. It's known for bringing wealth, prosperity and luck.

Pig is a very lucky animal in the Chinese horoscope. Eating food all the time, sleeping all day long and worrying about nothing their entire lives, pigs have more peaceful lifestyle than others and so are luckier. The golden fire pig is luckier still.

People born in the Year of the Pig are chivalrous and gallant. Whatever they do, they do with all their strength. They have tremendous fortitude, great honesty and a thirst for knowledge. They have good manners, make and keep friends, work hard, and love luxury. They're loving and make loyal partners. For those born in the year of the pig, any recent setbacks or obstacles can be overcome in 2007.

ABOUT THE LUNAR NEW YEAR New Year is one of the most important holidays in China. It lasts 2 weeks; friends and relatives are visited, parades and festivities abound, houses are decorated, special foods are eaten and there are things to avoid.

To bring wealth, happiness and fortune: eat dumplings, melon seeds and candy. Decorate your house with peach blossoms for luck, kumquat plants for prosperity, chrysanthemum for longevity. Open windows and doors to bring in the good luck of the new year and put up red good luck symbols.

Don't sweep the house though, or you'll sweep out the luck you've carefully accumulated.

FAMOUS PIGS Famous people born in the Year Of The Pig include Ernest Hemingway, Humphrey Bogart, Lucille Ball, Mozart,Thomas Jefferson, Alfred Hitchcock, Mahalia Jackson, David Letterman and Hillary Rodham Clinton,

PARADES AND CELEBRATIONS Here are some New Year events in New York City.

Lunar New Year Flower Market with Performances Friday, February 16th from 12 p.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday, February 17th from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Where: Columbus Park

Firecracker Ceremony & Cultural Festival Date: Sunday, February 18, 2007 When: from 11-3 p.m Where: Chatham Square

Illuminations: Lunar New Year Fireworks Spectacular Date: Sunday, February 18, 2007 When: 7:00 pm in Where: Columbus Park

Lunar New Year Parade Date: Sunday, February 25, 2007 Time: 1:00 - 5:00 p.m Where: Major streets of Chinatown

Cultural Festival: musicians, dancers, martial artists Date: Sunday, February 25, 2007 Time: 3:00 p.m Where: Bayard St

Thanks to the Better Chinatown Society for information about these events. More information about Chinese New Year can be found at http://www.explorechinatown.com/