Dear all
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The eve of the New Year is perhaps the most exciting part of the event as many preparations for celebrating Chinese New Year will tend to begin a few days from the date of the Chinese New Year. Traditions and rituals are very carefully observed in everything from food, and then plants to clothing.
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At the New Year’s Eve, my mother and I went to buy some New Year’s decorations at a nearby market; we bought some auspicious flowers such as Daffodil, Lily and a tangerine tree, the bustle and clamor could be seen everywhere at the market and all things at there created an atmosphere of joy and renewal.
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Very often, most of Chinese like to buy some auspicious plants or flowers as decoration and dinner at the New Year‘s Eve is usually a feast of seafood and chicken signifying different good wishes. Taking the dried oysters as an example, it symbolizes good things for the whole family (since “Oysters” and “Good things” sound the same in the Cantonese dialect), and as for the tangerine tree; tangerine in the Cantonese’s view of point symbolizes a big haul coming from outside (since “tangerine” and “auspicious” sound the same in the Cantonese dialect).
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Apart from the above-mentioned, an ancient custom in the Chinese New Year is very popular to all children and unmarried people, it is called "Pocket Money". At the end of New Year’s Eve dinner, parents and old generation will give New Year’s money to their children, who have been waiting with growing anticipation for this moment to arrive.
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To insure the arrival of luck and wealth in the New Year, several taboos must be heeded. During the 1st day of Chinese New Year, floors may not be swept 千奇咪掃地 and garbage may not be disposed for fear of casting riches out the door; cussing and quarreling is to be avoided at all costs; and anyone who breaks a dish on this day must quickly say “大吉利是” to avoid incurring misfortune. Actually, many taboos are interesting and those are still maintained in the Chinese society.
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Apart from the above-mentioned, an ancient custom in the Chinese New Year is very popular to all children and unmarried people, it is called "Pocket Money". At the end of New Year’s Eve dinner, parents and old generation will give New Year’s money to their children, who have been waiting with growing anticipation for this moment to arrive.
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To insure the arrival of luck and wealth in the New Year, several taboos must be heeded. During the 1st day of Chinese New Year, floors may not be swept 千奇咪掃地 and garbage may not be disposed for fear of casting riches out the door; cussing and quarreling is to be avoided at all costs; and anyone who breaks a dish on this day must quickly say “大吉利是” to avoid incurring misfortune. Actually, many taboos are interesting and those are still maintained in the Chinese society.
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As a whole, Chinese New Year is celebrated in state and it is a meaningful holiday with happiness, and different good wishes have plunged into the heart of each Chinese.
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(Auspicious flowers and tangerine trees)
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-百花爭艷, 牛年行好運.......好!
- 水仙花開, 富貴衝入來.....好!
-(年年有魚, 大吉大利..........好!)
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- (花開富貴, 靈龜獻福...............好!)
Happy New Year in 2009
Ken Ngan
