Gong Xi Fa Cai

Violet · #1 02-08-2005, 07:52 PM

Nie Hao, Ledgies! Just wanted to wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous Year of the Rooster! We celebrated New Year's Eve tonight with Chinese food, including some shrimp for wealth.

We also prepared Lucky Money envelopes for the kids in my daughter's class with chocolate coins and Lucky Candy. Before bed we're going to step outside to set off "firecrackers" (actually those little snap 'n pop things, which was all I could find) to scare off evil spirits. The housecleaning (sweeping away the old year's business) will have to wait until tomorrow, because I still need to make cupcakes tonight. My daughter's 6th birthday is Thursday, but we're doing it tomorrow at school because of a field trip on Thursday. So I'll be making red cupcakes with gold icing and red sparkly sprinkles on top. We also hung various couplets around the house for Harmony, Health, Education, Happy Family and Wealth.

Unfortunately we'll be missing the Lion Dance parade in Chinatown this Sunday due to a prior committment (neighbor's birthday party).

Gong Xi Fa Cai, Everyone!

Zai chien,

Carol

wondergirl9847 · #2 02-08-2005, 07:55 PM

Happy Chinese New Year!

irishgrl · #3 02-08-2005, 08:24 PM

Sun Yin Fai Lo (going phonetic here!)
Carol, are you Chinese or do you just enjoy the holiday?

I grew up in the SF Bay Area and heard the "Gong Xi Fa Cai" commercials all the time and we would always see the parade too!

going a little off topic, I remember as a child watching The World of Suzie Wong and Flower Drum Song and thinking Hong Kong was so neat~

Violet · #4 02-08-2005, 10:16 PM

No, I'm not Chinese, but my daughter is!

We adopted her from China in 1999. Just watched part of the Amazing Race where they were in China. I SO want to go see the Terra Cotta Warriers.

Carol

golddustwoman77 · #5 02-09-2005, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Violet

No, I'm not Chinese, but my daughter is!

We adopted her from China in 1999. Just watched part of the Amazing Race where they were in China. I SO want to go see the Terra Cotta Warriers.

Carol

Wow, that is so terrific that you have adopted her, and that you are helping her to learn about her hertiage! The world needs more people like you.

saraforscarlett · #6 02-09-2005, 05:37 PM

Nihao! I just had a Chinese exchange student living here for two weeks, she went home today. So I watched a really long celebration on a Chinese tv channel. It was very interesting.

Actually I am really fascinated by China, I've been there once. So, happy spring festival!

Violet · #7 02-09-2005, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golddustwoman77

Wow, that is so terrific that you have adopted her, and that you are helping her to learn about her hertiage! The world needs more people like you.

Thanks for your kind words. We are SO lucky to have her. She is the sweetest little girl, very thoughtful. I try to teach her what I can about her heritage, but i've made a few mistakes. Had her wear a white shirt today, and you're not supposed to wear white on New Years because it's for mourning. And I said about the cleaning today instead of yesterday. Well, you're not supposed to today because you'd be "sweeping out good luck." So I'm trying my best! I'd love to have her in Mandarin classes, but I just haven't been able to.

I'm really going to try to next fall....

Carol

Violet · #8 02-09-2005, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saraforscarlett

Nihao! I just had a Chinese exchange student living here for two weeks, she went home today. So I watched a really long celebration on a Chinese tv channel. It was very interesting.

Actually I am really fascinated by China, I've been there once. So, happy spring festival!

That's really cool. I've thought about hosting an exchange student, but I don't think my husband would be into it.

China is fascinating, and beautiful.

Happy Spring Festival to you, too!

Carol

WelshWitchPMD · #9 02-09-2005, 07:34 PM

I had General Tso chicken today! That was my way of celebrating. I guess that maybe I should of had shrimp LOL Do you know what customs are good to bring love into your life?

Violet · #10 02-09-2005, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WelshWitchPMD

I had General Tso chicken today! That was my way of celebrating. I guess that maybe I should of had shrimp LOL Do you know what customs are good to bring love into your life?

Well, Pattie, I wish I could help! My book doesn't mention chicken! It does say Duck represents happiness, though. That's close. If you had an eggroll with it, the cabbage represents wealth. And on the way off chance you had Mandarin cakes (whatever they are), that represents "all wishes fullfilled."

Good Luck!

Carol

strandinthewind · #11 02-09-2005, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WelshWitchPMD

I had General Tso chicken today! That was my way of celebrating. I guess that maybe I should of had shrimp LOL Do you know what customs are good to bring love into your life?

SIGHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

golddustwoman77 · #12 02-10-2005, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Violet

Thanks for your kind words. We are SO lucky to have her. She is the sweetest little girl, very thoughtful. I try to teach her what I can about her heritage, but i've made a few mistakes. Had her wear a white shirt today, and you're not supposed to wear white on New Years because it's for mourning. And I said about the cleaning today instead of yesterday. Well, you're not supposed to today because you'd be "sweeping out good luck." So I'm trying my best! I'd love to have her in Mandarin classes, but I just haven't been able to.

I'm really going to try to next fall....

Carol

Hey, you are trying and that is all that can be asked of you. You'll know more as time goes along.

I teach school, and there is a lot of great teaching material on Chinese New Year! When the time comes, if you checked online or at a teachers' supply store, you would find all sorts of workbooks and books to read about Chinese New Year. They are usually reproducible books. You could make copies, so you could reuse the books. That way, you could get material on her grade/learning level, and many of the pages in these books are fun to do as well. She could do a few at home when she isn't doing schoolwork. It is just a thought.

irishgrl · #13 02-10-2005, 09:13 PM

that Mandarin is one of the hardest languages to learn? and writing with pictograms/ideograms, what a gas! I also heard Mandarin was the language of Royalty and that the common people spoke a different dialect....is this true?

ok: pop quiz: WHO played Suzy Wong in "The World of Suzy Wong?" I think she ended up having an affair in real life with William Holden btw....tidbit of gossip there....

oh shucks! she autographed the picture, oh well, you guessed it folks, Nancy Kwan!