Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Happy Chinese New Year!
2008-The Year of the Rat (or mouse if you prefer)
The Chinese Year of 4706.

Here's some information about this holiday...

Today is the Chinese New Year's Day, the so called "Spring Festival" (chun jié). It's the biggest traditional Chinese holiday. It marks the end of the twelfth month lunar year in which all agricultural activities were to be finished, marking the beginning of the coming spring. With it's origins in an ancient offering ritual giving thanks to the gods for the past year, Spring Festival became an established holiday during the earlier Xia Dynasty (21-16 BC), Preparations for the Spring Festival include making all kinds of meats, foods and wines, new clothes for every family member, and gifts for relatives and friends. Festivities include paying tribute to the Hearth God, making offerings to one's ancestors, a family reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, visiting relatives and friends, celebrating with Dragon Dances, firecrackers, and Ma Jiang (Mahjong) games, and of course eating, drinking, and general merriment. For both adults and children,it is an exciting, joyful, and rejuvenating time of year.

The celebration lasts 15 days ending with the Lantern Festival.


The colors usually for the celebration are red & gold. Parents give out red envelopes to their children, unmarried friends, and close relatives that have crisp one dollar bills inside them, as part of the tradition to provide good fortune. Gary & I bought some of the envelopes in Chinatown when we were in NYC in October.

We've been having a ton of ladybugs in the house lately. Always welcome the little ladies. We have also received about 4 more pages and squares and wishes for Avery's quilt. Keep them coming!!! If you would like to do another one...feel free!!!

Hope you have enjoyed reading about this Chinese celebration!!!

Happy Chinese New Year or Xin nian kuai le!!!!

Love to all~

Alli & Gary