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Happy Chinese New Year 2012

Happy Chinese New Year 2012

Time flies so fast and once again we are here to usher in the Chinese New Year on 23rd January 2012. This New Year is the Chinese Lunar year of the Dragon. The Dragon is consider the most auspicious and lucky sign among the 12 animals sign in the cycle of the Chinese Zodiac. The other 11 animal’s sign of the Chinese Zodiac are the rat, bull, tiger, rabbit, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. The Dragon comes after the rabbit in this cycle.

Chinese New Year or the Chinese Lunar New Year is the most important festival for the Chinese around the world. It marks the start of the spring festival. Chinese New Year is the time of the year for members of the family to get together and celebrate. Chinese New Year is a 15 days celebration and will end on 6th February 2012.

A couple of weeks before the Chinese New Year, the Chinese will begin with spring cleaning their houses and yards. Colorful lanterns which are usually in red and Chinese Banners written in Calligraphy are hung in their respective houses to usher in the New Year. This is to symbolize and attract prosperity and good luck to their home throughout the year.

Family members will bake cookies, cakes and delicacies are prepared for this auspicious occasion well before the start of the Chinese New Year which is usually a couple of weeks ahead. All brooms, mops and dustpans are kept out of sight as the Chinese believe that good luck will be swept away if they sweep and clean the floor on the first day of the Chinese New Year.

The Chinese believe that firecrackers and fireworks will scare away the evil spirits and will bring in good tidings and chi to them throughout the whole year Chinese New Yearhence firecrackers and fireworks are played during this auspicious occasion.

All the family members will gather together in their parent’s house on the eve of Chinese New Year for the traditional reunion dinner which is a must for the entire Chinese household. For those who live abroad are excusable if they cannot make it back home for the reunion dinner. Feasting starts on the eve of the Chinese New Year and open house parties are held for family, relatives and friends to get together for the celebration. A special dish Yi Sheng is prepared and serves during the Chinese New Year. It is a traditional delicacy that is believed to bring good luck. The more times you eat this dish during the 15 days of Chinese New Year, more luck will come to you. Yi Sheng consists of thin slices of raw salmon and shredded vegetable roots like carrot, radish and pickles. Family members will begin the reunion dinner by tossing this dish Yi Sheng as high as possible with a pair of chopsticks. The Chinese believe that the higher you toss, better luck will come to you throughout the year.

Another believes that the Chinese have is to wear new clothing and shoes during the Chinese New Year. The more new things that you wear on this auspicious occasion will bring in much more good luck to you. They even dress up their houses with new curtains, table clothes, bedding items. New toothbrush, new towels, new hand bags are also some of the new things that are used during the Chinese New Year.

The parents, relatives and married friends will give Ang Pows to the children. Ang Pows are red packets that contain money and Chinese believe that the more you give out during Chinese New Year, much more money will come to you in return.

Chinese New Year is all about visiting family members, relatives and close friends, getting together, feasting and catching up with good old times hence visiting is part of the itinerary for the New Year. Some Chinese folks will visit the temples to offer prayers to their God for another successful and prosperity year ahead.

Dragon dance and Lion dance performances are held at huge malls, Business Companies and restaurants to usher in the New Year and for good luck and prosperity. My husband and I took an hour and a half drive to Philadelphia to witness the Lion dance and to have a feast of Peking duck and some delicacy at a Chinese restaurant to celebrate my Chinese New Year.

Gong Xi Fa Cai to all my family members, relatives and Chinese friends. May all your hope, dreams and wishes come true. May success and prosperity be with you throughout this New Lunar Year too. Join me to wish all your Chinese friends a Happy Chinese New Year !!

Gong Xi Fa Cai ! Happy Chinese New Year !