Chinese New Year Celebration

As a first-generation Chinese American, my family celebrates Chinese Lunar New Year's big time. Chinese are into symbols in their celebrations, especially, Chinese New Year. Weeks before the New Year, my mom is prepping the house with plants and fruit that represent good luck. Oranges and tangerines are put in bowls as they represent abundance and happiness. Orchids and plum blossoms are scattered through the house as they represent fertility, perseverance, and reliability. The color red is fused everywhere from the front door to the back door. The house is cleaned from top to bottom to welcome the New Year. This year is the Year of the Rat, the first animal in the Chinese Zodiac. People born in the year of the rat are supposed to be clever, quick thinkers and successful. The celebration for Chinese New Year starts on New Year’s Eve with the father’s side of the family hosting the most important meal of the year. Most of the food served on this evening all have or represents good luck and good fortune for the coming year. Certain regions of China serve specific types of food that are more typical of the food for that region. For example, in Beijing, dumplings must be served on New Year’s Eve as it symbolizes the money nugget of olden day China; whereas, in Shanghai, egg rolls are served as they represent gold bars. However, regardless of where you are in the world, all Chinese will serve at least a fish and whole chicken/duck (head and tail). Fish is because the Chinese word for fish has the same pronunciation as the Chinese word for surplus and/or remainder and this symbolizes that every year the family will have surpluses, whether it is in money, food or clothing. The whole fowl is because it represents that where there is a beginning there is always an ending, thus the head and tail must be served. Here, in California and in my family, we combined both regions. My paternal grandmother is from Beijing so dumplings will be served and my maternal grandmother is from the coastal province of Foochow so fish will be a big part of the family meal. Both deceased grandfathers are from Shanghai so egg rolls will make an appearance throughout Chinese New Year. Our New Year’s dinner this year was in a restaurant where a total of 10 dishes were had. Ten represents perfection. After dinner adults handed out the red envelope (hongbao) to the children and unmarried adults. Inside these hongbao were cash of brand new notes. All the kids have to wish the adults a happy New Year with Chinese phrases of good luck, health, and prosperity. Usually, on New Year’s day in China, Taiwan and/or Hong Kong, the husband takes the wife back to her home to celebrate with the wife’s side of the family and the kids get more hongbao. We do not do this here in the U.S. as Chinese New Year is not a legal holiday. I love Chinese New Year, not only do I get to eat great food but I get lots of money!! To keep the Chinese tradition alive even when we live in the U.S., my family celebrates all Chinese festivals with food and stories so that we know our own heritage.