The Chinese New Year is almost here! The Year of the Fire Monkey begins on February 8, 2016. Monkeys are considered the most mischievous of the Twelve Chinese Astrological Signs. Therefore, it is likely to be an exciting year with some unexpected twists.

Because we are dealing with a fire Monkey, be prepared for things to heat up!  Get ready for a good year filled with playfulness, romance, fun and enhanced communication.

What to expect this year?

Monkeys are crafty pranksters and the fire element adds a further spark. This year will produce more communication, more romance, emotional outbursts, high enthusiasm and impulsivity. Monkey years (especially fire Monkeys) can provide random surprises.

Expect people in entertainment and politics to make passionate statements and perhaps have some heated arguments. Think of the old adage about politicians being full of hot air and you’ll get the idea. Therefore, it’s important to stay on your toes and not mistake passionate speeches for authenticity. Honesty is a quality that will be appreciated.

For you personally, this is a perfect time to try new things! Get a new haircut, learn a new skill, or travel somewhere exciting. It is a good year to take action outside your comfort zone, but remember that this year will initiate a new atmosphere of impulsivity, so be wise and think before acting.

On the downside, a Monkey year will have some frustrations and intense exchanges. Therefore, maintaining good humor is essential for balance.

The Monkey year is likely to increase the number of babies born, at least among the Chinese. 

Fire Monkey in the news!

Bloomberg featured an article explaining how the Year of the Fire Monkey will impact business revenues.  Couples, mainly in China, who delayed pregnancy during the Year of the Sheep are eager for the Year of the Monkey. Children born during the Year of the Sheep are thought to be prone to misfortune. Those born during the Year of The Monkey are said to have more desirable characteristics, such as be craftiness, cleverness and charm.

The desire to plan for babies to be born this year has been a boom for companies that offer fertility products and obstetric services. Already, one Beijing hospital has seen a thirty percent rise in maternity bookings for the coming months, and the German drug maker Merck KGaA announced that sales of fertility-related medications had increased in China late last year, “as couples sought to build the ranks of little monkeys.”

If you miss this year for making a baby, be reassured that the monkey isn’t the only desirable sign for births. The dragon, a powerful symbol in China’s culture is considered the most auspicious year. During the last dragon year (2012), in China, there was a 1.9 percent rise in births.

Traits of the Fire Monkey

Every animal in the Chinese Zodiac has an array of characteristics that can be displayed in different ways. The Monkey is known as a clever creature, with a quick wit and a propensity to play tricks. They are the pranksters of the Zodiac! Monkeys are also curious, ambitious, irritable, intelligent and adventurous, a combination of traits that can cause some trouble and result in injured feelings when the monkey’s jokes are taken too far. However, try not to judge too harshly, your Monkey friend or family member does not have bad intentions, only the heart of a jokester. Remember the Curious George books you read as a child?

Were you born a Monkey?

Here are the years of the Chinese Zodiac when the sign was the monkey. As always, check the starting date of your year because they vary when compared to our calendar. If you were born near the beginning of the year, double check your sign.

Monkey years: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004,2016, 2028…

Happy New Year!