Chinese New Year 2012, Year of the Dragon!

Gong Xi Fa Cai
That is the traditional Mandarin Chinese New Year greeting which means "wishing you prosperity." In Hong Kong, however, Cantonese is the main language spoken and the variation is Gong Hey Fat Choy. Then, there is the fact that there are many different ways to spell these so for a newbie like me who is trying to learn what is right, it gets a bit confusing. What I do know for sure is that it is said with such energy and excitement and hope that you get swept up in the spirit of this, the most important of all Chinese holidays!

This year is The Year of the Dragon and it is approached with much anticipation. Many people believe it is a very favorable year to be born and a lot of people have planned to have a baby during this time, since this symbol stands for power, good luck, success, and happiness. Joe and I have decided not to embrace this particular thought process but we are happy for all the pregnant women we see around the city. We are gonna stick with our "pig (or boar)" and our "rooster" cause they have the spirit of the dragon to us! :-)

The official start to this particular Chinese New Year, which is tied to the first Chinese lunar month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system, was January 23,2012. The festivities and traditions will continue for 15 days,ending on February 6. The first 3 days of the New Year were official Public Holidays. Alex has the entire week off of school. Many people choose to take this whole week off and the energy of the city has definitely changed. On Monday, Joe went to work and was the only person on the shuttle bus (he chose to take two of his holidays while Melanie was here) and Alex took the city bus over to visit a friend and was also the only one on that bus. That is a very strange, creepy thing when you live in a city of 8 million people!

We are enjoying the sights and sounds of this very exciting time and there is so much to learn about this holiday that this is only the start of all I hope to share with you. I begin with some of the discoveries and decorations we've found around the city. Hong Kong is bright with colors of red, gold and pink. Everywhere you go, you will find these traditional decorations. Blooming flowers and plants are abundant as they represent growth and prosperity. Trees, especially the peach blossom, are adorned with decorations or red envelopes. The pink flowers of this tree are a custom because the peach or "tao" is a symbol for longevity, growth, and prosperity. The peach wood is also thought to be able to curb evil.

Orange and tangerine trees decorate almost every place you go and are used in homes. These are considered a sign of abundant happiness. The tangerines WITH their leaves symbolize strong family ties and bonds. All plants and flowers represent the hopes for the New Year.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle and skyscrapers of Hong Kong, plants and flowers bring you back to nature and the hope for a Happy New Year!

Street vendors and shops sell all the festive decorations for the celebrations ahead.


I have only just begun to share all the new sights and sounds and traditions I am discovering so stay tuned...