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when those around them can’t keep up with their ever-racing train of thought. Since monkeys love to eat peaches — and, in China, peaches are associated with longevity — those born under the sign of the Monkey are expected to have long, fruitful lives.

ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT LUCKY FOOD: Black Beans ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT DISH TO TRY: In Cuban households, no Christmas Eve is complete without frijoles negros , the flavor-packed, slow-cooked black beans with an aroma so enticing you’ll be itching to know the secret ingredient in the sofrito . But if you’re looking for a condiment that can be used time and again in the coming year (and that makes a gourmand-approved gift!) consider making your own Chinese black bean sauce. These fermented “black beans” — which are actually black soybeans, called douchi — are easy to whip up into a pungent, spicy, tongue-tingling sauce that goes with everything from seared bok choy to roasted whole fish, a Lunar New Year food symbolizing abundance.

YEAR OF THE ROOSTER Born: 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029

“The Rooster is the Don Quixote of the Chinese cycle. A dauntless hero, he is the most misunderstood and eccentric of all the signs,” write Lau and Lau. “Outwardly, he is the epitome of self-assurance and aggression, but at heat, he can be conservative and old-fashioned.” With a bent toward perfectionism and an unrelenting seriousness about, well, everything, those born in the Year of the Rooster are something of a paradox: quick to criticism while in the public sphere, but in need of constant reassurance when roosting at home with their tight-knit family. If you’re a Rooster, it would be wise to keep your feather-ruffling cockiness in check.. ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT LUCKY FOOD: Rice ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT DISH TO TRY: Rice pudding laced with nutmeg and dappled with currants has a decidedly Victorian Christmas feel if you’re trying to do your best A Christmas Carol cosplay, or you could make eight treasure rice — the auspicious Lunar New Year version of rice pudding. A popular dish in both China and Taiwan, eight treasure rice adorns glutinous (sticky) rice with eight different types of colorful, jewel-like dried fruits and nuts and fills the center of the dome-shaped, showstopping dish with red bean paste. The number eight in Chinese has become a lucky touchstone because it sounds like the word for “thriving in business” while each of the “treasures” — from dates and jackfruit to walnuts and dried pears — comes with its own unique good fortune.

YEAR OF THE DOG Born: 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018

“Loyalty” is the word flashing in neon above the heads of everyone born in the Year of the Dog, and if you’re in their inner circle, there’s nothing that they won’t do to help make your life just a little bit easier. Affectionate, friendly and sincere, Dogs are sensitive to their surroundings and aren’t afraid to speak their mind — even if it clashes with those outside of their intimate pack. ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT LUCKY FOOD: Ginger ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT DISH TO TRY: Instead of dips and crudité, offer up sweet well wishes at your holiday celebration with a “tray of togetherness”: an eight compartment serving platter filled with dried fruits, candies and nuts that traditionally welcomes guests to Lunar New Year gatherings. Fill your tray with plenty of candied ginger (for longevity), dried kumquats (for prosperity), peanuts (for good health), dried pineapple (for success in business) and whatever other blessings you’d like to shower upon your loved ones in the forthcoming year. Opting out of the tray of togetherness? Don’t be afraid to tuck additional bursts of ginger into your heirloom recipes, like candied sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and ham glaze.

YEAR OF THE PIG (OR BOAR) Born: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019)

Looking for someone to accomplish even the most mundane task with enthusiasm? Look no further than people born in the Year of the Pig. Noble, patient and pure-hearted, Pigs are the type of friend who will drop everything at 3 a.m. to help you out in a pinch and not think twice about it. There’s a gluttonous side, however, to these kind and gallant creatures, so even if they’re hosting the soiree of the year, keeping an eye on overindulgence would behoove them. ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT LUCKY FOOD: Orange ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT DISH TO TRY: Dried orange slices looping around a Christmas tree adds a touch of rural, natural whimsy to anyone’s holiday décor, but in Chinese homes during the Lunar New Year, oranges (along with tangerines, kumquats and pomelos) are on display in whole form due to their roundness and “golden” hue, which symbolize fullness and wealth. What’s more, “orange” and “tangerine” closely resemble the words for “luck” and “wealth,” meaning no matter how you slice it, oranges are a fortunate must for welcoming in 2023.

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