Happy Chinese New Year!

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Did you know that this doesn't mean 'happy new year' in Chinese?  It technically means 'may you be prosperous'.  That's the culture here... "it's all about the money, money, money..."


Perfect segway into CNY (Chinese New Year), part one:  LAI SEE

Lai See are little red and gold envelopes that are given out during CNY.  Traditionally, married couples give these envelopes with cash gifts inside to unmarried people in the family and at work.  It's also customary to give them out to people who report to you at work, and to all regular service providers in your life (building staff, gym staff, hairdresser/barber, etc.).  The amount of money in the envelopes varies depending on the connection, but all bills should be brand new with no creases and the amount should always be an even number (except any number with a 4, because that's unlucky).  When you hand over the envelope (always with two hands), you say 'kung hei fat choi', and the receiver will generally say it back.

CNY, part two: GOOD LUCK AND BAD LUCK

The Chinese are extremely traditional and superstitious as a culture.  There are certain 'rules' to follow to encourage 'good luck' for the year, and other rules to avoid 'bad luck' for the coming year.  Some examples to attract good luck include filling your house with flowers and plants, decorate your house with the colour red, pay off all debts, and my personal favourite, eat candy to bring a 'sweet year'.  To avoid bad luck never clean the house on New Years day (you will sweep away good fortune), avoid handling knives, don't talk about death or light fires (you will burn the good luck you just received).

CNY, part three: FIREWORKS

This year we were able to watch the impressive fireworks display from the comfort of our bedroom window.  Amazing.  The show was stunning, as always, because HK doesn't do fireworks half-assed.

CNY, part four: SNAKE

Every Chinese (Lunar) New Year is associated with a different animal, based on a 12-year zodiac cycle.  We just finished the year of the Dragon, and have now started the year of the Snake.  People born in the year of the snake (Baby Foley, and MANY friends having babies this year!) are "intuitive, introspective, refined and the most collected of the 12 zodiac signs.  They are attractive people who remain calm under pressure, are graceful, exciting and dark at the same time....  A snake is keen and cunning, intelligent and wise." (source: AWARE magazine, Feb. 2013)  Having a snake in the house is a good omen because it means your family will not starve.  That's a fair amount of pressure for wee baby Foley.

Rhys, Foley, me, Rina, Gillian, photo by Beth

CNY, part five: TIME WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Rhys & his adorable birthday girl Natasha

L-R: Foley, me, Rina, Beth, Gillian, Pat, Chris, Ed, Rhys, Natasha, Mel, Andrew

Chris and Natasha

Ed, Beth, Natasha & Rhys

Dinner with Rina's parents and Aunt at chinese restaurant, photo from Rina

The floating restaurant

Being an enormous pregnant lady and Foley still fairly fresh back from Canada, we decided to have a very low-key Chinese New Year this year.  All the same, we had some great times with our HK 'family' of friends.  First, was a surprise birthday party for our friend Natasha which kicked off the New Year with a big hangover for most of our 'family'.  Then Saturday we had a traditional Chinese style dinner with our group of friends and my friend Rina's wonderful parents and aunt who were visiting for the weekend.  Following dinner, I was once again the pregnant lady in the bar, sipping my soda water... classy.  We had brunches and lunches with various friends and one awesome lunch on a floating restaurant in Aberdeen.  It's certainly different from how locals spend their time (visiting family, meals cooked in home, etc.) but it was our wonderful CNY, expat style.

Mel, Rina and Natasha with an enormous daiquiri! photo by Dustin

Fireworks from our bedroom window