Dog Years 2006

This Sunday is the Chinese Lunar Year of the Dog. Rather than following the cycles of the sun, the Chinese follow the moon. Most of Asia will be held immobile during the days of the festival. Many businesses will shutdown from a minimum of three days to as long as two weeks. Prior to the New Year, sales in ever store are off the wall. Chinese New Year is a much bigger deal than Christmas. It is a time to eat plenty, buy plenty, give and celebrate. On my bedside I discover a lucky red envelope with coins and two Clementines (or some Chinese related fruit) for good luck.

Every year there is the Flower Festival where a Flower Market is set up and it is much like a carnival (food stands, toys, balloons, windmills etc...) with tons of flowers for sale. Mostly orchids, cherry blossoms, lucky Clementine bushes, Chrysanthemums…. The immense crowds of people (plus the pollution) were more than I could bare.





The first two days of the New Year festivities are for gathering with friends and families. Those who are married are to give lucky red envelopes with money to the children. On the third day, everyone is supposed to stay home – for if you go out to see people it is said that you will argue, so you stay home. The 7th day of the festival is called People’s Day or everybody’s birthday. On the 7th day you are to eat the two clementines at your bedside. The New Year celebration (which does not involve a countdown) involves dragon dances, eating of New Year cake (sweet, gooey, fried), fireworks, firecrackers and celebration.

And no it does not include the opening of fortune cookies, though when I was a grade-schooler, my mother always gave me fortune cookies to share with my class to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Happy Chinese New Year 2006 Year of the Dog!