Gong Xi Fa Cai!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! This new lunar year, which begins 18th of February, celebrates the year of the Boar (aka pig). The Chinese are not the only people who celebrate the holiday. The Koreans, Tibetans, and many other Asians celebrate the holiday. In Vietnam the holiday is called Tet.

The celebration of Chinese New Year is done in many ways. One popular way is to make sure all old and unused items are discarded to make way for the new wealth. Homes will get a makeover, new clothes are purchased etc. New Year’s eve and New Year’s day are celebrated as a family affair, a time for reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in the honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.

The hand out of the lucky packet called, “Hong Bao“, “Ang Pows” or “Lai Si” is very popular during this festive season. The red color of the packet symbolizes good luck. The red packets contain money and are traditionally handed out to the younger generation by their parents, grandparents, relatives and close neighbors during Chinese New Year. These red packets are also popular gifts for weddings and birthdays. For more information on Chinese New Year, click here.

Traditional New Year Foods
On New Year’s day, the Chinese family will eat a vegetarian dish called jai. Although the various ingredients in jai are root vegetables or fibrous vegetables, many people attribute various superstitious aspects to them:

*Lotus seed – to signify having many male offspring
*Ginkgo nut – represents silver ingots
*Black moss seaweed – is a homonym for exceeding in wealth
*Dried bean curd – another homonym for fulfillment of wealth and happiness
*Bamboo shoots – a word that sounds like “wishing everything to be well”
*Fresh bean curd or tofu – not included as it is white and unlucky for the new year as the color signifies death and misfortune
*a whole fish – represents togetherness and abundance
*noodles – to be uncut as they represent long life
*chicken – must be presented with a head, tail and feet to symbolize completeness

The Culinary Chase’s Note: It’s probably the only time of year when shops close for two or more days and the streets are quite quiet…………something unusual for Hong Kong!