Xin Nian Kuai Le - Happy New Year

Thursday the 19th of February sees the start of the Chinese New Year.

Participants in London's annual west end parade. Image via Time Out.

According to the Chinese zodiac there is a cycle of twelve years with each cycle represented by a different animal.

2015 finds us in the year of the horned animal, most commonly considered The Year of the Ram, the 8th sign in the twelve year cycle. Alternatively, it is also sometimes referred to as The Year of the Goat or Sheep. People born under the year of each animal are said to carry certain traits of that particular animal so one can only surmise that sheep, goats and rams must share similar traits.