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Gung Hay Fat Choy (Wishing You Prosperity) is often mistranslated as Happy New Year. For most parts of Asia including Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia with strong Chinese cultural influences this is the only Holiday. Even here in America in Chinese communities Chinese businesses other than restaurants and retail close their business to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Chinese New Year is determined by the path and cycle of the moon revolutions contrary to the Western New Year determined by the consistency of the calendar based on the sun. As a result Chinese New Years never fall on the same day by the western calendar.
<img src="http://www.drben.net/files/China/City/HongKong/HK-SiteDeco/China-NewYearFireworks-HK-BQT.jpg" alt="" />
Celebration in HK
For the older generation and immigrants this Holiday is more important than Christmas and Thanksgivings. Many 1.5 and 2x generations also embrace the cultural celebration with their families as over the years their cultural heritage indoctrinated by their parents.
For most family tradition Lai Sees (red envelopes filled with money) are handed out to unmarried relatives younger than the married individuals. Technically the person who gives out Lai See technically has to be married and the person receiving them are always children and many unmarried grown ups under 35. Single men and women are exempt from giving Lai See. Married couples should not be receiving Lai See however many of their parents forced Lai See into their pocket.
<img src="http://winjuroo.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/2005-02-09-chinese-new-year.jpg" alt="" />
For businesses Lai Sees are given to employees, waiters, business associates and most people performing a friendly service. That friendly service encompasses a lot of things!
Firecrackers are a customary celebration to scare away evil spirits and so is the traditional lion dance. For most Chinese gangs performing a lion dance to ward off unwanted ?evil and unfortunate events? for businesses such as restaurants is a legitimate method of extortion. During the lion dance the lions open their mouth to grab the Lai See (full of hundred dollar bills) handed out by the merchants as appreciation and blessing for a safe year.
<img src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-09/29/xinsrc_5320904290830187319127.jpg" alt="" />
lion dance
Last night was the last day of the last Lunar year and families gathered together for a family meal to sum up their blessings. Usually homemade meals with at least one vegetarian dish were served.
Many superstitions such as don?t pound a nail, wash your hair, and many other tasks that potentially may cause injury must not take place during this last day and the day of the Lunar New Year.
All edibles rhyme with good luck words are fed and given to friends and relatives. One example is the Clementine tangerines that rhyme with the Chinese word ?good luck?. All Chinese markets carry an abundance of tangerines with a stem and leave still attached to them for longer shelf life as a symbol for longevity.
<img src="http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/2463496/2/istockphoto_2463496_tangerine_stem_with_leaves.jpg" alt="" />
Restaurants will have on their menu many varieties of dishes that rhyme with good Chinese words such as lettuce (growing fortune) and oysters (good event).
Wishing all the IHBers a very safe, fortunate and hard working Year of the Ox.
Stay away from the Chinese restaurants in Irvine because they are all insanely busy except of course for Pick Up Stix, Panda Express, and Pei Wei.
<img src="http://www.drben.net/files/China/City/HongKong/HK-SiteDeco/China-NewYearFireworks-HK-BQT.jpg" alt="" />
Celebration in HK
For the older generation and immigrants this Holiday is more important than Christmas and Thanksgivings. Many 1.5 and 2x generations also embrace the cultural celebration with their families as over the years their cultural heritage indoctrinated by their parents.
For most family tradition Lai Sees (red envelopes filled with money) are handed out to unmarried relatives younger than the married individuals. Technically the person who gives out Lai See technically has to be married and the person receiving them are always children and many unmarried grown ups under 35. Single men and women are exempt from giving Lai See. Married couples should not be receiving Lai See however many of their parents forced Lai See into their pocket.
<img src="http://winjuroo.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/2005-02-09-chinese-new-year.jpg" alt="" />
For businesses Lai Sees are given to employees, waiters, business associates and most people performing a friendly service. That friendly service encompasses a lot of things!
Firecrackers are a customary celebration to scare away evil spirits and so is the traditional lion dance. For most Chinese gangs performing a lion dance to ward off unwanted ?evil and unfortunate events? for businesses such as restaurants is a legitimate method of extortion. During the lion dance the lions open their mouth to grab the Lai See (full of hundred dollar bills) handed out by the merchants as appreciation and blessing for a safe year.
<img src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-09/29/xinsrc_5320904290830187319127.jpg" alt="" />
lion dance
Last night was the last day of the last Lunar year and families gathered together for a family meal to sum up their blessings. Usually homemade meals with at least one vegetarian dish were served.
Many superstitions such as don?t pound a nail, wash your hair, and many other tasks that potentially may cause injury must not take place during this last day and the day of the Lunar New Year.
All edibles rhyme with good luck words are fed and given to friends and relatives. One example is the Clementine tangerines that rhyme with the Chinese word ?good luck?. All Chinese markets carry an abundance of tangerines with a stem and leave still attached to them for longer shelf life as a symbol for longevity.
<img src="http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/2463496/2/istockphoto_2463496_tangerine_stem_with_leaves.jpg" alt="" />
Restaurants will have on their menu many varieties of dishes that rhyme with good Chinese words such as lettuce (growing fortune) and oysters (good event).
Wishing all the IHBers a very safe, fortunate and hard working Year of the Ox.
Stay away from the Chinese restaurants in Irvine because they are all insanely busy except of course for Pick Up Stix, Panda Express, and Pei Wei.
