What was I thinking?: January 2009

Kung Hay Fat Choy - intriguing in its unabashed straight-to-the point wish. Wish you will earn more money - not May you have more money.
Sure, wishes for good health, prosperity follows, but let’s start with money ;)
And why not?
Why beat around the bush -
Some of the customs are so close to those followed in India.
Firstly, the day is based on the Lunar calendar.
It marks a new beginning - 'when firecrackers are let off at the midnight of the New Year Day, whatever was bad and unhappy will vanish without trace'.
The stories, legends, myths, and celebrations differ from province to province - we are like that too.
Exchange of the 'wealth god' in little red packets.
Bright red lucky charms are used for deco.
Traditionally the older folks give coins to kids. These were tied with red string and hung around the neck of the children as a protection charm.
That sounds familiar to me.
Some follow the discipline not to have any meat on the day. The day being auspicious. This one really got me - I am now Curiouser and curiouser.
Celebration involved includes cleaning the house, firecrackers, visitations, money exchange, and great food.
Talking about food - there is similarity again.
Looking at the traditional tray, I see several familiarities.
Is that petha? And that chikki ? Oh, this is a groundnut chikki, and that is a sesame chikki.Lotus seeds coated with sugary stuff. And that - for a thousand sons ;) _ keep away from that one.
Provides enough fuel to start an argument about the origin of the content - Maybe these are really Indian foods, which are so adapted by our dear neighbors. Nah, you copied us, we are the first.
And so the argument continues...till we hit the origin of fortune cookies.

I like reading the messages - they are fun, and I have to know what everyone else in the table got too. I know someone who is very serious about that. She collects them without fail, and I can tell she believe in them too. I think I believe in the ones that agree with me. The not-so-nice ones is stupid marketing, and obscure ones, I gladly forget.
The Joy luck club has a conclusion that the papers contain 'bad instruction' and not wisdom. Lol !!

Dim Sum gives a family style food experience that is friendly, warm and enjoyable. Sharing food across the table, pouring green tea for the people next to you (always before yours). You can be oblivious of the noise around the other tables, and the 'smell' and the fear of biting into a scary food.
And no visits on the 3rd day of New Year - because it can cause arguments.
No sweeping - Brooms, brushes and any sweeping equipments are not allowed to be used after the New Year Eve dinner and during the first day of the New Year, otherwise it symbolizes wealth will be swept away.Don’t want to take a chance on that.
People go to midnight prayer service s.
On the New Year morning, firecrackers were traditionally set off to welcome the New Year. Family members and friends greet with "Kung Hay Fat Choy" (Wish you will earn more money) to each other, in return children and the unmarried receive "Red Packet Money".
And then there is the year of the Ox. And the year when everyone gains a year - intriguing stuff.
Every culture has its traditions. And coming from a rich, diverse one I am glad to partake in from another just as rich. Ok, Iam not grounded in mine. But mine defines me.Just like us, people, everywhere follow rituals and traditions sometimes without getting too deep into the whys.
So, some get rejected, others adapted, and the rest are taken as they are- face value.
The only problem with that is – it is a nagging thought - did the right ones get to the right queue?
How do you detect that ?
No one knows.
But what the heck!
Enjoy the festivity, and if you can share it around, you've rubbed a little cheer.
And the exchange itself helps break done the mental blocks and helps in increasing tolerance levels.