Chinese New Year is celebrated on a big scale by the Chinese community in Malaysia. It is a day that denotes the beginning of the new year based on Chinese calendar. According to Chinese belief, each year is represented by an animal. There are 12 animals, namely the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Each animal has its own significance.
Christmas
Christmas is celebrated by Christians on 25th December every year to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. The Christmas celebration is joyous with Christmas trees decorated with colourful lights and ornaments. In homes, presents are placed under the Christmas trees and will be opened on Christmas Day.
Tadau Keamatan
The Tadau Kaamatan festival is celebrated by the kadazan community in Sabah in May every year after the padi harvesting season. To celebrate Tadau Kaamatan, various types of food including traditional delicacies and ‘tapai’ are prepared and served .