Funtime | Pilgrim's Perch

Arrival of The Year of the Fire Horse

Chinese New Year comes with the first new moon of the lunar calendar – this year it falls on 17th February 2026, and heralds the beginning of the fifteen day spring festival. Celebrations vary depending on the country or region, but there are a few common traditions.

Celebrations as the new lunar year arrives. — The new Lunar Year arrives…

The Chinese zodiac calendar is a twelve year cycle, each year being represented by a different animal. 2026 sees the Year of the Horse. This is paired with a heavenly stem – one of the five elements – in this case, ‘Bing’, or ‘big sun’. Thus, 2026 becomes the Year of the Fire Horse.

A horse gallops across the plain — The Year of the Fire Horse

The tradition of lighting firecrackers and fireworks, hanging lanterns and wearing red clothing is believed to ward off evil and bad luck.

Father and daughter wearing red clothing to bring good luck. — Red clothing is worn to ward off bad luck

The Lunar New Year festivities often last over fifteen days. Food plays a big part and households spend much time preparing delicious dishes.

Chinese festive food is prepared with care. — Special meals and offering hospitality play an important role in part in the festivities.

A big spring clean of the home aims to sweep out all the accumulated rubbish and bad luck of the past year. It’s then considered bad luck to sweep up or remove rubbish on the first few days as this may mean clearing out all the new good luck and fortune.

A spring clean ensures that the home enters the new year with good fortune. — Cleaning the house is important for clearing out all the bad luck of the old year

Families travel far and near to gather for festive dinners. Presents and fruit are given in abundance; red packets of money are given to unmarried members of the family – these are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity.

Money is given to the young and unmarried to bring luck — A red packet of money

On the third day of the new year (perhaps as a result of the overexcitement of the festivities!) it is believed that arguments are likely to occur. Some people try to avoid these by shunning company and visiting temples instead, making offerings to offset bad luck.

On the third day people often visit the local temple. — Visiting a temple helps fend off any disagreements and arguments!

The highlight of the holiday comes on the 15th day of the festival with the Lantern Festival. This falls on the first full moon of the year and marks the departure of winter and beginning of spring. Lanterns are lit, to symbolise the driving away of darkness and the arrival of hope. In ancient Chinese society, this was the day when young girls would be allowed out to enjoy seeing the lanterns and meet young men – hence the day has also been called Chinese Valentine’s Day.

Colourful Chinese lanterns see in the new year and bring hope and light. — Colourful lanterns ensure the festival brings light and hope for the new year.

Spring into Song

February bounces in and whilst the weather still brings a chill there is certainly more light as the days lengthen.

With that growing light have you noticed how the mornings become filled with birdsong? Our feathered friends sense the approaching spring and their singing is optimistic,bright and cheerful.

Indeed, it is often said that St Valentine’s Day (14th February) is the day on which birds choose a partner ready for the mating season.

But singing is good for humans too. It helps reduce blood pressure, improve lung function, posture, and it boosts the immune system. Breathing deeply and filling the lungs with air opens our body and mind up to new possibilities. Try some deep breathing exercises and see just how much more wide awake, alert and aware you feel. Singing triggers chemical changes in the body and releases ‘happy hormones’ including dopamine and endorphins, which help reduce stress and create a sense of wellbeing.

You can sing alone – or with others. It can be huge fun joining a choir – it teaches you to listen to one another, it helps improve memory and you have the satisfaction of creating something beautiful. Any more benefits? Yes! Lasting friendships can be formed – with a common bond these can be sources of joy for many years. No wonder the birds sound so cheerful!

*The tiniest birds can make a joyful sound!*

Do you like having fun? Do you like Weather?

Walking along the road to a small Scottish village some years ago the weather suddenly turned from bright, warm sunshine to chilly, driving rain. A passerby remarked that in those parts nobody ever went out without their waterproofs. We learned the lesson the hard way!

Two walkers on a path with uncertain weather — *Dodging the rain on a hilly path*

Today it’s often said that there’s no such thing as the wrong weather, only the wrong clothing. Muffled up in a warm coat or a hardy rain jacket it can be fun just to take the weather in one’s stride. And to enjoy it.

Person in coat protected against any weather — *Muffled against all weathers*

It seems to be a particularly British thing, our obsession with The Weather. Most conversations get round to it sooner or later. Very often it’s one of the first things we talk about – it provides such a rich ground for grumbles, obsession and speculation! It changes at the drop of a hat – even with today’s sophisticated computer technology and meteorological modelling the forecasters often fail to get their weather predictions spot on. And so, The Weather is never a dull subject.

Three lasses enjoy a picnic in a sunny meadow — *Picnickers enjoy a sunny day*

A sunny day can suddenly turn to…

Dramatic storm clouds threaten a complere change in the weather — *Storm clouds loom*

…a dramatically stormy day.

Indeed, the etiquette in polite society has long ruled that ‘The Weather’ is a safe topic of conversation when all else fails. In the 18th century novel Sense & Sensibility Jane Austen has one of her characters, Mrs Dashwood, say to her youngest daughter:

‘Hush, Margaret, if you can’t think of anything appropriate to say you will please restrict your remarks to the weather.’

A rainbow indicates a change in the weather — *Changeable weather*

Sometimes its easier to understand the weather than the times we live in. So we turn to a ‘safe’ subject. But even in Biblical times there was a tendency to focus on the weather rather than the social and political times the people were going through. Jesus challenged the people when he said,

 “When you see clouds growing bigger in the west, you say, ‘A rainstorm is coming.’ And soon it begins to rain. When you feel the wind begin to blow from the south, you say, ‘It will be a hot day.’ And you are right. You hypocrites! You can understand the weather. Why don’t you understand what is happening now?”

Then, as now, people were living in difficult times; what was going on in the wider world didn’t always make sense. And it may be that we suffer from confusion and muddle about what goes on in the world today. It is times like these when we perhaps need to focus on the simple things in life – those things we can’t do anything about but just confront head on, endure – and even, enjoy. In his book, That Hideous Strength, CS Lewis writes of a couple who make the most of whatever weather they encounter:

‘We both like Weather. Not this kind or that kind, but just weather. It’s a useful taste if one lives in England… Everyone begins as a child by liking Weather. You learn the art of disliking it as you grow up. Haven’t you ever noticed it on a snowy day? The grown-ups are all going about with long faces, but look at the children - and and the dogs? They know what snow’s made for.’

A couple and a dog have fun in the snow — *Enjoying the snow*

So, whatever the weather, wherever you are, enjoy it and make the most of it. It’ll change soon enough…

Weather turns good and bad. it never remains the same. — *After the sun, the rain; after the rain, the sun…*