Happy Chinese New Year of the Dragon my darlings! It's one of my favourite festivals, even though it is clad with a list of old traditions.....from the new year's eve family union dinner (Tuen Yuen Fan) with yummy food that are ordained with lucky names, the glutinous rice balls in sweet red bean soup (Tong Yuen) symbolising sweet unity or sticking together with your loved ones, the lighting of the first incense of the year (Tau Jue Heong) to wish for peace, health or luck in the coming year.......to wearing a display of red in order to attract good fortune and staying up late into the early morning of the new year (Sau Sui) to wish for your parents health and longevity. One of my earlier memories of Chinese New Year is of me wearing a red matching top and skirt with pictures of colourful oriental fans......having a mandarin and cracking open shelled peanuts with my family sat around a big table. Mandarins have become symbolic because it is named "gold" in Chinese and most families would make sure they had some "gold" in the home during this important festival. I remember one year in Malaysia when we literally had to join a queue outside the shopping mall in order to buy a case of mandarins.....yes.....not a few or a bag, but a case of mandarins! Another tradition that I especially like, of course, is to wear something new on the first day of Chinese New Year.....as it is a lovely reason for shopping and this year I have decided to add 2 new Qi Pao dresses to my collection as part of my something new!
Traditionally it is a celebration that lasts for 15 days, where people would visit friends and greet each other in new year wishes or lucky phrases throughout, but in our modernity of new times it is often only celebrated for 3 days. It is believed that you should only begin the new year with all that is good, so whether in speech, action or thoughts, all should be positive and embody the good in order to attract the good into your life. So whatever you choose to do or say these 3 or 25 days......keep in mind what you would like to attract into your life this year!
Here's wishing all my darling family, friends and blog readers:
*Gong Xi Fa Chai!* (Mandarin)
A wonderfully lucky and prosperous Chinese New Year!
*Gong Hee Fhat Choi!* (Hakka)
May the year of the water Dragon make 2012 an inspirational year filled with wisdom, love, compassion, success, happiness, prosperity and good health for all!
*Gong Hei Fhat Choi!* (Cantonese)
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| Glutinous rice balls in sweet ginger soup! |
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| Something Red for Chinese New year...... |
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| Red traditional waistcoat with blue knitted maxi skirt. |
Until the next time,
May xx
