Some Thoughts on 2012 So Far...

The Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrations have concluded, the decorations throughout Hong Kong and China have disappreared and for the first time since Halloween, the city has gone back to a simpler time and style. After Halloween 2011 hit, the city dressed up for the Christmas holidays...

The lights on the buildings all became holiday displays and everywhere you went, you found magical decor.

Then the calendar New Year 2012...

Then right into Lunar New Year 2012...The Year of the Dragon!

Alex and I met the God of Wealth, so we feel quite covered for 2012! He is a Chinese deity said to bless one with luck, wealth and financial opportunities. He is celebrated throughout the year but it is very popular to have him visit during this time of new beginnings and hope.





It has certainly been a very extended, festive time! February 6th was the end of the beginning of the Year of the Dragon! Hong Kong has settled down and looks a bit bare after all this celebrating. Winter has arrived despite my doubts that I could ever feel cold here. There is a gloom in the air a lot, with cloudy skies, low clouds, fog, and, sadly, the ever-present pollution.

I celebrated my birthday and survived the long distance that seperated me from my loved ones and birthday traditions like ladies and lunches, wine and whining, and family dinners. Across the miles, friends and family surprised me with a wealth of birthday wishes, unexpected presents, and made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I got taken out to lunch by new girlfriends and my boys took me out for a wonderful dinner.

I got the best card and letter from Alex along with a beautiful watercolor of a HK street so "you can always remember this time in our life." My boy!
I know Mel and I will do more celebrating when we reunite, so I still have that to look forward to!

I didn't get a birthday cake...sigh...NOT! We tried this deliciousness instead! Yum, yum and yum!!!

One week later, Valentines Day hit so I got to go out to dinner again! Hong Kong loves to celebrate things so flowers and gifts and set dinner menus were in abundance throughout the city. We chose to partake because this was our first Valentines Day together since 2009 and our first together in Hong Kong. It was just wonderful and I would say that 2012 is off to a great start!

I am thankful to those of you that suggested I start this blog when I moved to Hong Kong. I appreciate that you want to share this journey with me but what I also appreciate is that I find it brings me to a place of gratitude and back to what is good. I want to share the good stuff, the humor, the adventure and I try to keep it honest but more positive than not. Thus, what ends up happening is that the rough days, the sad days, the "I miss my life" days get softer and what my attention gets focused on are the gifts of this experience and the opportunities.

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we took so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened up for us”
- Helen Keller

So I say thank you every day that I have people in my life who have encouraged me to tell my story and through that I am left with nothing but gratitude and joy for the journey.

"I must write it all out, at any cost. Writing is thinking. It is more than living, for it is to be conscious of living."
- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

We all have a story. I'd love to hear yours...

Lions and Dragons and Drums, Oh My! More Chinese New Year Traditions!

The Lion Dance is a tradition dating back over a thousand years that makes it a "must" as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Thought to scare away the bad spirits and bring luck for the coming year, I was able to see my first Lion Dance up close and in person at Joe's work on Wednesday, January 25th. It was acrobatic, exciting and filled with meaning and tradition. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I think that is the best way for me to try to share this experience with you.

The Lion Dance is accompanied by the energetic sounds of drums and cheers from the crowds. The first part of the dance is filled with energetic choreography and amazing leaps from elevated poles as the lion seems to fly from riser to riser.

While high atop a pole, one of the Lions releases a couplet of Happy New Year wishes for 2012.

Turns out you have to "feed" the lion! Throughout the store, hung offerings of vegetables and also Lai See.

The lion "chews" the vegetables and then throws them back out to the crowd to spread prosperity. It is considered very lucky to catch any of the vegetables the lion has "spit" back. Many of those that have gathered to try to catch the lettuce also make sure they try to touch the top of the lions head which is also considered good luck.

Joe celebrates catching the vegetables! He is assured of good fortune for 2012!

Alex and I have an opportunity to offer Lai See to the lion and touch his head for good luck and fortune for 2012.

After his complicated and acrobatic dance, the Lion visited all three floors of the store at Sun Plaza, stopping in every department, as well as offices, to receive the gifts of vegetables and Lai See and spread prosperity and good fortune to employees and customers. The traditional dance and rituals took over two hours and each stop was greeted with tremendous enthusiam and excitement.

The Lion was accompanied throughout his dance and store tour by drums, cymbals, and gongs. I have video of The Lion Dance but have not figured out how to get that on my blog yet. It allows you to get the energy, spirit, and enthusiasm as well as the sounds that are a big part of this traditional dance. I have posted them on my facebook so if you have access to that make sure and take a peak to really get a feel for this experience.


The Saturday after seeing my first Lion Dance I was looking forward to attending the Lunar New Year Carnival where we live. It was held on the lawn at Bel-Air on the Peak and there would be another Lion Dance, a Dragon Dance, food booths, acrobatics, and crafts and games for children. Count me in!

The Dragon was quite large and spectacular taking 10 guys to operate. There is an additional guy that runs ahead of the Dragon carrying a large spinning ball. This is said to be the "Pearl of Wisdom" which the dragon chases to gain insight and knowledge but during Chinese New Year if it is red or gold it is also said to represent the sun and the hope for a good harvest.

The Lion Dance I saw performed at Bel-Air was on even higher risers and more acrobatic. I tried to capture The Lion as he "flies" through the air.

The Lion stands tall!

and has a cute booty! Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle...

Another lion stands high atop a pole silhouetted against the backdrop of Hong Kong hills and skyscrapers on a beautiful blue sky day.

More exciting, high flying lion antics! I am officially a fan of the Lion Dance and Dragon Dance and would recommend it to any and all to experience.

More Chinese New Year Traditions: Lai See

Red envelopes containing money, known as Lai See in Hong Kong, are traditional gifts for Chinese New Year. We would be participating in this tradition during New Year, so it was important to understand the meaning of this gesture in accordance with Chinese beliefs. We had already had some experience with Lai See because they are also the traditional gifts you give for special occasions like weddings or to celebrate the birth of a baby. Joe had been given a couple of different types of wedding invitations and we had learned that typically you might be given an announcement of marriage that comes with a gift certificate for a cake and then you return this gesture with Lai See for the bride and groom to put toward their wedding. We've already gotten two cakes to enjoy out of this tradition! We also received an invitation to actually attend a Chinese wedding and dinner. If you attend, you would typically give Lai See in an amount to cover the cost of your attendance at the celebration plus extra for the bride and groom. We were unable to attend this wedding, though I really hope we will have another opportunity to experience a wedding in Hong Kong during our time here. Since we did not actually attend, then we send Lai See as our gift to the bride and groom. We had also learned that you would never give someone a white envelope because the color white is associated with death and would only be used for condolences and funerals. Oopsie! Thank heaven we have good people watching out for us that tell us these things so we don't offend some poor bride who thinks we hope for her demise! Now to figure out Lai See as it applies to Chinese New Year...

Lai See envelopes must be red or gold as this signifies good luck and prosperity. Both the giver and the recipient are believed to gain good luck from Lai See so it is not only the person receiving money that is benefiting. The amount of money given varies depending on the relationship and purpose but money should be given in a single, NEW note and not coins. If you are given an old, used note it is like saying you were not really thinking ahead or of the person, they were really just forgotten. Yikes! As I've matured I've tried to NOT take things so personally in life and not read into things so much but the Chinese really pay attention to details and can take things to heart. I can respect their traditions but its a little stressful to think everything you do has such meaning. Deep breath! LOL! Needless to say, when it was time to prepare our Lai See we went to the bank and got all beautiful new bills!

You also do not give anyone money in denominations of 4 because the Cantonese word for "4" sounds like the Cantonese word for death. So $40 or $400 would not be a nice idea. This belief about 4 applies in other ways. I have yet to be in a building in Hong Kong that has a floor with the number 4. I've put a picture of the elevator buttons from one of our elevators to show that you will not be going to the fourth, fourteenth, twenty-fourth, or any floor with a 4!



The basic rule of who receives Lai See is single friends and children and it is given from a senior to a junior. At work, a boss would give to his employees, and in our building it would be good for us as residents to give to our doorman and other service people. With all this knowledge in hand and after Joe consulted people at work, we ended up stuffing over 500 envelopes of varying denominations for Joe to give out to employees in his store as well as an additional 50 or so for people in the buildings of Bel-Air and to have on hand just in case we are approached with a "Gung Hay Fat Choy" and a look of anticipation. It's a lot and we will be better at budgeting for this for next year now that we have gone through it. Luckily many of the envelopes were notes of $10HKD which really only amounts to about $1.30USD but it adds up! The first 3 days of Chinese New Year were the main days in which we gave out our Lai See. The energy and excitement that goes along with it is very fun. If you are seen giving out Lai See at work or in the building you can plan on feeling very popular and attracting a crowd of well-wishers and it can go fast! Typically, if you see someone and they wish you "Gung Hay Fat Choy" and it is an appropriate recipient you would then hand them a Lai See envelope with both hands and they would then receive it with both hands and then clasp their hands together shaking them and bowing their head and wishing you more Happy New Year Wishes and gratitude. The envelopes are not opened in front of you and it would be rude to look inside and see what you got! Alex, as both a minor and a single person, ended up receiving over 11 of his own Lai See envelopes.

I am really happy to have been a part of the experience of giving and receiving Lai See for Chinese New Year 2012. Ultimately, the generosity and spirit of giving that it represents is a great way of setting the hopes for properity into motion and I will remember the enthusiasm and happy smiles of those holders of red envelopes!