☆ 新 年 快 乐 ☆

First of all, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR to everyone ! I found this interesting article in the net and felt it was worth sharing with you. However, this article was written for last year, but I've read through and u can just ignore the dates. It may be lenghty but there are some D&D( dos and don'ts) about CNY. Hereby, I wish everyone to have an amazing journey ahead in the new year of Rat. Till we meet again with lots of angpaos in our bank =D

By:Donna Collins

The Spiritual Chinese New Year begins - Feb 18, 2007
Chinese New Year always starts on the second new moon AFTER the Winter Solstice and ends on the first full moon. Each day in this 15-day celebration has different traditions and meanings to start a new auspicious cycle. The eight to ten days prior to the New Year also carry great importance, as preparation for the celebration is almost as must fun as the real thing.

It is considered a religious time, a spiritual time, a special time for honoring heaven and earth, the gods of the household, and all ancestors, a time of reunion, thanksgiving, a family affair. The spirit of the ancestors and the energy of living family members create one great community. The New Year's Eve feast honors ALL family and is called "surrounding the stove or weilu". (As you know in feng shui the stove is considered the "source of abundance" so it is logical to surround the stove during a family occasion.

Preparation for the New Year - House Cleaning
The entire house should be cleaned before Chinese New Year's Eve in 2007 the best dates are Feb 9-11, 2007. Much like our spring-cleaning with a few fun exceptions! (No sweeping or dusting is to be done on New Year's Eve, Feb 17, 2007 for fear of sweeping away the year's good fortune, so it must all be done in advance). After the house is clean it is time to bid the God of the Kitchen, Zao Wang farewell. By tradition he usually likes to leave by the 23rd day of the last lunar month - which is Feb 14th 2007. It is believed that Zao Wang invented fire and therefore made cooking possible. More importantly, like our Santa Clause, Zao Wang knows who is naughty or nice; Zao Wang's job is to censor the morals of the family. He leaves on Feb 14, 2007 to report to GOD on the behavior of the occupants of the home. So put your best foot forward and hope your report is good and your household will be blessed for the New Year. On the evening of the Feb 14th 2007 hold a family dinner for him, bidding farewell with a meal of sweet food and honey. Sounds like the old milk and cookies bribe to me the Chinese believe that this bribe will help their report and that the honey may even seal his mouth, so he can speak no bad words about them. ( LOL )

Here is the schedule:
From Feb 9 - 11, 2007 clean up a storm. If you have to clean after the 11th of Feb, make sure all brooms, dusters, dustpans and cleaning equipment is put away no later than 12:00 midnight on Feb 16th, 2007.

After New Year's Eve, (Feb 17th, 2007 until the end of the 15-day celebration - March 4th 2007, the house must be cleaned in the following very specific way:

Beginning at the front door, the dust and rubbish are swept into the middle of the parlor and then placed in the 4 corners of the room, it must not be trampled on.! It is not allowed to be removed until the 5th day (Feb. 22, 2007) of the New Year and then must be swept up and carried out the back door only. ! Never carry your trash out the front door. In sweeping this way you are protected, for the superstition is that if you sweep the dust and dirt out of your house by way of the front door over the threshold you will sweep away one of the family members, along with your good fortune. The dirt, dust, whatever must always be sweep inward, then carried out the back doors so no harm will follow! New Year Eve's Celebration Feb 17th 2007 .

Dinner on this day is a celebration of the ancestors; it is the most vital of all the New Year celebrations, for it unites the living with those who have passed on. Sacrifices and blessings to the ancestors are made at this meal; a chair is left empty for each deceased family member to be honored. Departed family members are remembered with great respect as they have laid the foundation for the fortune and glory for the family. The next day, New Year's Day do not speak of death, dying, or the past because all attention is turned toward a new beginning.

Cutting
Make sure all cutting is done on New Year Eve or before! Do not cut on New Year's Day. All cutting should take place before New Year's Day! Do not use any knives or scissors as this could cut your fortune!

Firecrackers
Firecrackers set off at midnight are to send away the old year and welcoming in the new. Along with the firecrackers don't forget the Windows Ceremony below!

Midnight Window/Door Ceremony
On the stroke of midnight, 12am, every door and window in the house is opened to let the old year escape - Feb 18th 2007. Leave them open for at least 15 minutes to allow the year to come in!

Money and Bills
All bills should be paid before New Year's Day. Lend no money or other items of importance to anyone on New Year's Day Feb 18th, 2007. In the old days this included fire, flint or tinder because if you do - you will lack that thing the whole year!

New Year's Day
All New Year's Day activities set the tone and precedent for the New Year. So make sure you follow all the following instructions!

Personal Appearance and Cleanliness
Do not wash you hair on New Year's day Feb 18th 2007 as this too would wash away you luck for the year! Red clothing is preferred, as it will insure a bright happy future

Language
Everyone should refrain from using bad language and do not speak of death or dying. Any references to the past year are also taboo, as we should be looking to the New Year and all new beginnings.

Crying on New Year's Day
If you cry on this day it is said you will cry the whole year through. Therefore children are tolerated, never spanked, disciplined or made to cry, even if they are at their worst!

Greeting the first person you see in the New Year Day
Much like our greeting "Happy New Year"! and a kiss at midnight - the first person you meet and the first words hear and say, on New Year's Day carry your fortune for the year.

The Red Bird of Happiness?
Really good fortune comes to those who see a swallow, a red bird, or songbird, or even hear a songbird!

Traditional Foods
In the 15 days of the New Year celebration more food is consumed than at any other time of the year. This large amount of food symbolizes abundance and wealth for the whole household. Traditional foods are prepared for all friends and family, living or those who have passed away (remember a place is set for deceased friends and family members so don't be surprised that you must also serve them).

What's to eat, wheres the beef?
New Year's Day is specifically vegetarian and made up mostly of root vegetables.
For the rest of the celebration here are the foods to use and their meaning use only the ones that are appropriate for you:
Lotus seed to signify having many male offspring
Ginkgo nut represents silver ingots
Black moss seaweed for exceeding wealth
Dried bean curd for fulfillment of wealth and happiness
Bamboo shoots - for wishes that everything would be well
Whole fish head and tail - represents togetherness and abundance
Whole chicken is for prosperity it must have the head, tail and feet as they represent completeness
Noodles uncut, represent long life

Fresh bean curd, tofu and any white food is not included as it is unlucky and signifies death and misfortune.

Oranges, tangerines, lai see and the candy tray Etiquette dictates that you must bring a bag of oranges and tangerines with a lai see enclosed, any time you visit friends or family. The lai see is a little red envelope filled with money, a special treat or trinket. Tangerines with the leaves intact assure that one's relationship with the other remains secure. Newlyweds especially love the tangerine branches because it is an indication of the couple branching into a family with many children! Oranges and tangerines - represent abundant happiness.

The Candy Tray-"The Tray of Togetherness"
1.Candied melon- growth and good health
2.Red melon seed dyed red to symbolize joy, happiness, truth, sincerity
3.Lychee nut- strong family relationships
4.Cumquat- prosperity
5.Coconut- togetherness
6.Peanuts- long life
7.Longnan- many good sons
8.Lotus seeds- many children
When several sweets have been eaten the space left should be filled with several lai see (the red envelopes).

Decorations
Prior to New Year's decorate your living room with vases of flowers, platters of oranges and tangerines and a candy tray with 8 dried fruits mentioned above. The walls are decorated with lovely messages to take you into the New Year. How's this for a welcoming "May the Star of Happiness, the Star of Wealth and the Star of Longevity shine on you"

Plants and Flowers
Live blooming plants at the New Year are the symbols of rebirth, new growth, the reawakening of nature and when given, the wish for happiness during the year. Flowers are symbolic wealth and attaining a status position in your career. The best of luck comes to the house that has a flowers blooming on New Year's Day, for that blooming flower foretells a year of prosperity.
Try plum blossoms know for reliability and perseverance add bamboo - for compatibility, utility and flexibility
and pine sprigs to evokes longevity, and steadiness.
Pussy willows, azaleas, peony, water lily, or narcissus also top the charts for bring in good fortune.