The Isle of Man Post Office is pleased to present a miniature sheet of stamps to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Snake which is issued to recognise our attendance at the China International Collection Expo to be held in Beijing later this year. Chinese New Year, also known as the spring festival, is the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The spring festival celebrates the start of new life and the season of ploughing and sowing. 2013 is the year of the black Snake and begins on February 10th, shortly after the new moon in Aquarius, the humanitarian of the zodiac. The Snake is the sixth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 Animal Signs. It is the most enigmatic, intuitive, introspective, refined and collected of the Animals Signs. Ancient Chinese wisdom says a Snake in the house is a good omen because it means that your family will not starve.