Today marks the beginning of the Spring Festival!
This year is the Year of the Pig; the twelfth zodiac animal, and a symbol of wealth and good fortune. It also corresponds with the element Earth, with the earthly branch, hài, and the celestial stem, jǐ.
A Little About The Occasion. Lunar New Year takes place over twenty three days, so there's still a long time to go before the end. The event is split into three sections; Little Year, Spring Festival, and the Lantern Festival. The Little Year takes place for eight days between the January 28th - 4th February and focuses on preparation. The Spring Festival begins on February 5th and ends on the 15th, and is considered to be the main celebration. Preparations for the Lantern Festival takes place from February 16th onwards, with the climax of the event on February 19th when the festival is held. Although the dates and the duration of the celebration can vary depending on personal choice or location.
If you would like to learn more about the occasion, make sure to check out: chinesenewyear.net, which features a comprehensive guide to the event and delves into the culture and traditions. National Geographic has an incredible article on it too.
Lunar New Year Card. To celebrate the occasion, artist extraordinaire, Carla, created a gorgeous Remedy-inspired piece for Year of the Pig. In the run up to the Spring Festival, she worked hard to get it done in time, even battling against the flu, and the results are incredible. We wrote about her stunning work for last year, so it was such a wonderful surprise to find her latest work in my inbox last Saturday.
At the moment her portfolio is under construction, but you can follow her on Twitter, @Eydaemonbroccol. In her spare time, she also creates the webcomic, I Am Kindred, which is currently undergoing renovations but keep an eye out for webcomic-goodness in the future!
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Steam's Lunar New Year Sale. Steam's latest sale is in full swing with a number of discounts across Remedy titles. All accounts also receive a red envelope filled with soft currency which can be spent on emoticons, backgrounds, or new badges.
Included in the deals we have Death Rally (1996) at 75% off, a brilliant offer especially if you haven't yet played the original Remedy title OR you have a Mac. Both of Remedy's Max Paynes are available too at 65% off individually or 70% off if you purchase together. And finally, Jack Joyce is also joining the sales with Quantum Break at 75% off!
Check out the Lunar New Year Sale, HERE!
