0:00:08 > 0:00:11# Can't wait to celebrate
0:00:11 > 0:00:13# It's great to celebrate
0:00:13 > 0:00:18# Can't wait to celebrate It's great to celebrate. #
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Hello. I'm Thomas Ticker of number 22.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28When it comes to parties and celebrations, I'm your man.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31But have you met my friend Sprocket?
0:00:31 > 0:00:33She's really excited
0:00:33 > 0:00:37because a rat is going to turn up somewhere in today's festival.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40She's always dreaming of chasing rats and mice.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43The festival is Chinese New Year,
0:00:43 > 0:00:45and if you like the colour red,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48then you're going to love this celebration!
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Let's have a look.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Hi, I'm Abby and this is my brother Yen.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59And we're getting ready to celebrate Chinese New Year.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02My family come from China,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05but we live here in Liverpool.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08We celebrate Chinese New Year
0:01:08 > 0:01:10when there's a new moon every spring.
0:01:10 > 0:01:16Hi, Abby, hi, Yen. Are you ready to give the house a good clean with me?
0:01:16 > 0:01:18- Yeah.- There's your glove.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21And there's your glove.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Before the New Year, we give the house a good clean.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Here we go, Yen, that's the cloth.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30- Abby, do you want to do the dust? - Thank you.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Can you get the white bits as well?
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Abby, do you know why we clean up the house before New Year?
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Because we want to get rid of all the bad things
0:01:48 > 0:01:51and welcome the New Year.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Now the house is clean, let's put up some decorations.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14The signs are always red for good luck.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20We're putting up signs with the Chinese word "dai gat" written on it,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23which means "lots of luck".
0:02:23 > 0:02:27And the flowers are to remind us of the springtime.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32Every year is named after one of 12 different animals.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34I was born in the Year of the Horse.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37I was born in the Year of the Dragon.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Everything is ready for the Chinese New Year.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42I can't wait for the morning.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47It's the morning of Chinese New Year and we're wearing new clothes.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51New clothes are meant to show a fresh start
0:02:51 > 0:02:53and the colour red is really lucky.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58My mum has a surprise for us.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01They are red envelopes with money inside.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07We need to go to school now. Come on.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09We're going to Chinese school now.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12My sister Katie is a teacher there.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Today we're making Chinese lanterns.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19The lanterns are made from paper
0:03:19 > 0:03:22and are to show us the brightness of spring.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28- Into this hole.- Can I try? - Yeah, sure.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31It's hard to make this.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36I've done it!
0:03:37 > 0:03:43Now we're learning to write Chinese good luck messages.
0:03:43 > 0:03:49HE SPEAKS CANTONESE
0:03:54 > 0:03:57My sign means "lots of luck".
0:03:59 > 0:04:02I'm going to give my good luck message to my mum.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04I think she will love it.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07We're going home for our New Year meal.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14- Wow, this smells really nice! - Wow, this is great!
0:04:14 > 0:04:18We have eight or nine dishes because they are lucky numbers.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22- It's lobster - Abby's favourite! - Yeah.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24- Shall we start now?- Yeah.- Yes.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29THEY SPEAK CANTONESE
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Some of the food has special meanings.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35The soup has round shapes in it
0:04:35 > 0:04:38to remind us to be altogether.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42We use two sticks called chopsticks to eat with.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49- Favourite food.- Happy New Year.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53- ALL:- Happy New Year!
0:04:53 > 0:04:56In a few days, there will be celebrations in the street,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59with a huge dragon parade.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02It's going to be so much fun! Bye!
0:05:04 > 0:05:06# It's great to celebrate. #
0:05:06 > 0:05:09I think that's going to be an exciting celebration.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14I'm not sure Sprocket liked the look of those dragons, though.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17It's brilliant that each year is named after an animal.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20I was born in the Year of the Pig. Oink! Oink!
0:05:20 > 0:05:24And there's a great story
0:05:24 > 0:05:27of how each year came to be named after an animal.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Would you like to hear it?
0:05:30 > 0:05:33It was coming up to the New Year.
0:05:33 > 0:05:3712 animals were arguing.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40There was a rat, an ox,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43a tiger, a sheep, a rabbit,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46a dragon, a snake,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50a dog, a horse, a rooster,
0:05:50 > 0:05:54a monkey and a pig.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58They thought the New Year should have a name.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00They were arguing because each animal
0:06:00 > 0:06:04wanted the year to be named after himself.
0:06:04 > 0:06:09There was such a noise that they disturbed the Jade Emperor.
0:06:09 > 0:06:16"Whatever is the matter with you animals?" Jade Emperor asked.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19One by one, they explained their problem.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22The Jade Emperor thought it over.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26"I've got an idea," he said.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29"Can you see that big river?
0:06:29 > 0:06:31"Why not have a race across it?
0:06:31 > 0:06:36"We can name this New Year after the winner of the race."
0:06:36 > 0:06:40All the animals agreed that this was a good idea.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45But each one secretly thought that they would be the winner.
0:06:45 > 0:06:51They all hurried to the river and lined up for the race.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55"Ready, steady, go!"
0:06:55 > 0:06:58With a mighty splash, the animals leapt into the river
0:06:58 > 0:07:03and started swimming as fast as they could towards the other side.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06The rat wasn't the best swimmer,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09but he was the cleverest animal.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12He saw that the ox was going to win the race,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16so swam as fast as he could and grabbed hold of the ox's tail.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20He climbed up the tail and onto the ox's back.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24Just before the ox reached the other side of the river,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27the rat leapt over his head onto the bank.
0:07:27 > 0:07:33"Hooray, I'm the winner!" he squeaked. "He-he-he!"
0:07:33 > 0:07:37"Hard luck, Ox," laughed the Jade Emperor.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42"You're very strong, but Rat was too clever for you this time.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46"We will call this year the Year of the Rat.
0:07:46 > 0:07:53"Ox, you were second, so next year will be the Year of the Ox."
0:07:53 > 0:07:57One by one, the other animals finished the race.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00"Well done," said the Jade Emperor,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04"We will name a year after each of you
0:08:04 > 0:08:08"in the same order that you finished the race."
0:08:12 > 0:08:14# It's great to celebrate! #
0:08:14 > 0:08:18He-he! I'm a cheek little rat and I won the race!
0:08:20 > 0:08:25Oh, come on, Sprocket. I think she's just grumpy
0:08:25 > 0:08:30because she wouldn't have been very good at that swimming race.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Shall we see the Chinese New Year celebrations?
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Oh.
0:08:39 > 0:08:44Hello. We're at Chinatown for the Chinese New Year street celebration.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47A lot of Chinese people live here.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51There are big markets here.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54I want to try this.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Yes! Oh...
0:08:58 > 0:09:00There are a lot of things to buy.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03It's a puppet!
0:09:08 > 0:09:11There's lots going on today.
0:09:13 > 0:09:18We're going to Chinese school now.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22We're watching my sister Katie doing a Chinese dance.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Now it's my turn.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31We love dancing.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47APPLAUSE
0:09:48 > 0:09:51We had a brilliant time.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55Do you remember I made a good luck message for my mum?
0:09:55 > 0:09:59I'm going to give it to her now. I hope she likes it.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Here you go, Mummy. I made this for you.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Thank you, Abby. Happy New Year.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08It's a good luck message.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Happy New Year.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14It's time to go and watch the parade.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22It's really busy and everyone's getting ready for the big parade.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32The parade has started.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42There are big pretend lions, unicorns and dragons.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46They are like big puppets.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Can you see the people underneath them?
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Look, there's the unicorn.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02The flags are really colourful.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Look, there's the lion.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Everybody's waiting for the dragon to arrive.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21Dragons are made-up creatures.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25They are powerful and friendly
0:11:25 > 0:11:28and they bring us good luck.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41After the parade, we have firecrackers.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48They bring good luck
0:11:48 > 0:11:50and are meant to keep bad things away.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Sometimes they make me jump.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Firecrackers are very noisy and smoky!
0:11:58 > 0:12:00we had a brilliant time.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04Happy New Year! It's great to celebrate. Bye!
0:12:05 > 0:12:08It's great to celebrate. Yes, it is!
0:12:08 > 0:12:12That reminds me of my favourite song.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Sprocket, you stay here where it's not so noisy.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18I'm just going outside for a party. Woo-hoo!
0:12:18 > 0:12:23# It's great to celebrate It's great to celebrate
0:12:23 > 0:12:27# Can't wait to celebrate It's great to celebrate
0:12:27 > 0:12:29# Can't wait to celebrate
0:12:29 > 0:12:31# It's great to celebrate
0:12:31 > 0:12:35# Can't wait to celebrate It's great to celebrate
0:12:39 > 0:12:42# We're so excited cos it's gonna be
0:12:42 > 0:12:46# A party time for all our friends and family
0:12:46 > 0:12:50# We're getting ready We'll have so much fun
0:12:50 > 0:12:53# So come and join in, everyone
0:12:53 > 0:12:57# Cos it's time for us to celebrate
0:12:57 > 0:13:01# Now it's time for us to celebrate
0:13:01 > 0:13:05# Cos today is such a special day
0:13:05 > 0:13:09# And it's time for you and me to celebrate
0:13:13 > 0:13:18# So jump to your feet and dance with us
0:13:18 > 0:13:21# Clap your hands and cheer
0:13:21 > 0:13:25# Cos it's time for us to celebrate
0:13:25 > 0:13:28# Now it's time for us to celebrate
0:13:28 > 0:13:32# Cos today is such a special day
0:13:32 > 0:13:38# And it's time for you and me to celebrate
0:13:38 > 0:13:40# It's time for us to celebrate
0:13:40 > 0:13:44# And it's time for you and me
0:13:44 > 0:13:46# To celebrate. #