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| China Shanghai YuGarden- Photo taken from wikimedia commons by North Sea Dreamer |
As mentioned in my previous article http://cassandracml.blogspot.com/2014/01/interesting-facts-about-lunar-new-year.html, the Lunar New Year is celebrated for 15 days.
Yesterday was the 7th day of the new year, which is known as "Ren Ri" (Mandarin) or "Yan Yat" (Cantonese). This is the day when everyone grows older. In other words, it is everyone's birthday on this day. So, how is it celebrated? You wish anyone that you see on this day a Happy birthday!
This week also marked the second week of the Lunar New Year. By Monday, February 10, most people who celebrate the festivities will be back to work. It is quite common for employer to give their employees a red packet and invite their employees for a lunch or dinner at the start of the work week to thank them and to wish them good luck in the coming year. This also signifies prosperity for the company that they work for.
Another very important day in the coming weeks is the 15th and final day of the Lunar New Year. On this day, the first day of the lunar calendar with a full moon, the Chinese community celebrates "Yuan Xiao", also known as the Lantern Festival. During this festival, you will see lanterns hanging in every household. Families celebrate together, enjoying the full moon while solving puzzles by the lantern and eating "Tangyuan" (a round, glutinous rice ball stuffed with sweet fillings such as dates and brown sugar), which symbolizes family and happiness. If you live in the US, you can buy a packet of the Tangyuan at your local Chinese grocery store (not just during Yuan Xiao, but all year round!). Or, if you prefer to make your own Tangyuan, here is a recipe I found online at noobcook.com. http://www.noobcook.com/tang-yuan/.
The 15th day of the Lunar New Year is also celebrated in Malaysia and Singapore where it is known as "Chap Goh Mei". To some, it is also known as the "Chinese Valentine's Day". This year it falls on the same day as the Western Valentine's Day (Feb 14, 2014). On this day, single men and women (or their parents) will go to the temple to pray for a suitable match for them. In some communities, it is also common for single women to inscribe their name and contact information and throw it into the water, hoping "their match" will find it and contact them.
Here are some pictures of some of the Chinese New Year dishes I found here in Boston:
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| Chinese New Year cookies on sale at a grocery store in New York |
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| A Malaysian Chinese New Year dish- "Yee Sang" consisted of shredded carrots, radish, pickles, salmon sashimi |
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| Chinese New Year dinner |
Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year!
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