Kung Hei Fat Choi! Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year and we are coming into the Year of the Metal Tiger. I have just been to my Poh Poh (Granny’s) house for dinner and to collect our lai see… but now that I am married I have to also give lai see! Chinese New Year is the most important Chinese holiday. It runs over the course of 15 days which is spent visiting and paying respect to your elders, collecting ‘lai see’ which are red packets with money inside to represent good luck and wealth. In addition to lai see, small gifts of food and sweets are given when visiting family and friends; usually fruits or cakes, i.e. small mandarin orange trees which symbolise wealth (gold). The period around CNY is also the period of the largest human migration where migrant Chinese workers, overseas Chinese travel home to have reunion dinners with their families.
Another important tradition is the wearing of red. According to tales and legends, in a remote Chinese village the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called ‘Nian’. Nian would come on the first day of New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors. But one day people saw that the Nian was scared away instead by a little child wearing the colour red. The villagers then began to hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors at the start of the New Year. People would also use firecrackers to frighten away the Nian. From then on, Nian never came to the village again. If you were born in 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986 or 1998 then this is your year as a Tiger. What is in store for you?
According to Chinese, the animal Tiger is said to be lucky, vivid, lively and engaging. Another attribute of the Tiger is his incredible bravery, evidenced in his willingness to engage in battle or his undying courage. The Chinese say having a Tiger in the house is the very best protection against the evils of fire.
Have a prosperous Chinese New Year!
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