Chinese New Year is upon us!

All the locals are gearing up for the most important time of the year--Lunar New Year!  They will be saying goodbye to the Year of the Tiger and hello to the 

Year of the Rabbit.

I've been practicing my 'Gong Xi Fa Cai!'  It literally means 'Wishing you good fortune in the new year.'  But people say it just like they would 'Happy New Year'.  My teacher said that people would really appreciate it if I said it to them, and that seems to be very true!  they are so nice here!  

Along with the saying, people usually give out a red envelope with money in it. The amount of money has to end with an even digit (lucky numbers) and odd numbers are associated with funerals. The red color is very prominent here as it symbolizes good luck and is supposed to ward off evil spirits.  I bought two of these envelopes for my teacher's daughters and put American dollars in them.  I wonder if they'll use them some day... :-)

In the next week or so, we are going to a lantern festival!  I'm so excited!  You write your wish for the new year of a piece of paper and put it in a red lantern.  Then people release the lanterns and they float away with your wish.

This is a picture of  a lantern festival:

 

I'll be sure to upload pictures of all the Chinese New Year festivities.  Stay tuned...