Chinese New Year! The Year of the Rat!

These are the two forums I frequent most...MidSouth Gardening and Tropical Gardening. So to my family here, I wish you all a Happy Chinese New Year!!!!
It's the 1st. day of the Year of the Rat!
Chinese around the world will be celebrating the 1st day of the Chinese lunar calendar. 15 days of good food, exchanging of "ang pows", red packets containing money, showing respect to your family and elders and visiting friends.
Ang pows are only given to children and unmarried adults. Those that are married will be gifted with non-cash items, usually oranges (symbol of good luck). Back in the old country, there will be fireworks so intense that houses catch on fire!!
One superstition is the house must never be swept on this day. One would be sweeping away all the good luck. Another good one is to repay all your debts before the start of the New Year!
May all of you enjoy a prosperous year, with good health too.
~Jaye

And you as well Jaye!!!
Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year, Jaye. I love how you give us up-close-and-personal lessons about your mother culture. Don't sweep the house for the whole 15 days so you may really share the good luck.

God bless you and yours every single day of this New Year.

Christi

Jaye,
Wishing you a wonderfully healthy, happy & prosperous New Year!
I worked for a lovely family during high school and all through college at their Chinese restaurant in my hometown. For New Year, they closed the restaurant and had a wonderful celebration. I SO miss the wonderful food and sharing their culture, thank you for the reminder!
Cathy

Thank you Sweet Ones!
Christi, it would be nice..no sweeping for 15 days! Really!
Cathy, I'm glad this brought you back good memories! I'm sure you can dish out some good Chinese food!
We are so lucky to be living in a country where different ethnics can co-exist peacefully. My heritage is Chinese, Indonesian, Malay and Egyptian. So, it was continous jovial celebrations growing up.
Besides the lunar years, Chinese horoscope also is represented by the 12 animal signs.
So, have some fun (stressing fun) and find out what's yours!
On the lower left side, click on to "Find My Sign"
http://www.chineseastrology.com/

Mine is the Wood Sheep.

Happy New Year!!!

Thank you Dean! Get your fortune cookie today! Lol!

LOL!

Happy New Year, Jaye!!!!! Best wishes throughout the year Sweetie!

Thank you (((Jeanne)))!

Hugs to you to (((((Jaye))))) !!!

Jaye, just saw this. Happy New Year to you too! We have that superstition about sweeping too. Is vacuuming bad luck too? It had to be done.

Lolol!! Lana, I guess as long as the dirt remains in the bag and in the house, you're okay!
I'll let you know next year, whether that superstition holds true. I swept the floor!
And as for repaying debts...........we are always in debt...look at all the must have essentials that cost beaucoup bucks. Unless one is extremely wealthy!
Hmm..that familiar tune ...should be sung this way
♫♪♫We owe, we owe...so off to work we go!♫☺

I know that one all too well. hahahah

Christi

Good morning, all.

Morning Christi!
Ain't that the truth? We all want a piece of the pie, but boy that pie ain't free!!!!

Beautiful day, out to the garden even if it is just to breathe the fresh air...aahhhh.

Jaye LOL LOL LOL. That superstition about repaying your debts holds true. I have never finished repaying my debts before the new year. And every year I am struck with the bad luck of being too poor to pay back more debts and the vicious cycle continues. Shame on you for sweeping. You're gonna need all the luck you can get for doing that!

Happy new year!

Happy New Year Terri!! May you be blessed with prosperity, good health and more good muses!!
Lana I think this is from a country western tune "if not for bad luck I won't have none!".
Yeee Haaaaaaaaa!

Ah, there you all are! Morning all!

Anyone else noticing that the older you get the less of the pie you want? We are at the point of being happy just to keep the roof over our head! Our DD and SIL make our heads reel with their "needs" in life.

Exactly, Jen. My mother always told me that the day would come when I no longer "wanted things". Argued soundly that would never happen. Only thing that excites me anymore is the garden. More furniture, clothes, new car, collections...all of what I thought were so necessary don't even tempt us. Have divested ourselves of many collections with more to come because they "owned us" instead of "owning them". eewwww, all that dusting.

Hope this is a relaxing day for everyone, we are going to the garden to enjoy another fantastic spring-like day. Supposed to be freezing by Thursday.

Jaye, all kinds of New Year celebrations around Dallas yesterday...much dancing of the Lion.

So true Jen and Christi. Don't want to be posessed by posessions!! Being contented with what we have is truly the goal we should attain. Just maintaining what we have can cost too! Seen the prices lately for new gutters...rebuild transmission...new tires...
But I'll have that extra money for that special plants!!! Lolol!
Guess I'll have to do my own Lion Dance...

Try the price of food on this island! Basic necessities are outrageous, I don't know how young families do it - milk at $6.00 a gallon, bread at $4.00 a loaf, and that's on sale! You really have to love the 'aina to live on a tropical island - it's so worth it though!