Four days ago, we prepared to celebrate the start of a new year--the first day of 2012, according to the Gregorian calendar. My six-year-old was beyond thrilled, "Last week was Christmas, and tomorrow is Chinese New Year!"
Well, not quite. I explained to her that the next holiday was New Years according to the Gregorian calendar. Chinese New Year would not be celebrated until the first day of the Chinese calendar.
Huh?
I told her that the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, based on the phases of the moon and time of the solar year (or at least Wikipedia tells me this).
"So what do you do on regular New Years?" she asked.
"Well, you stay up late and watch a ball drop from a tall tower," I began.
"That's it?" She did not seem impressed, and I couldn't blame her. Usually, by New Years Eve, our family is so exhausted from numerous family get-togethers and holiday events that we let the transition to the new year slip by unnoticed.
Chinese New Year, on the other hand, is celebrated in our house like another Christmas. We drag out beautiful red decorations to hang on our doors and windows, the kids are given gifts of money and clothing from their Chinese relatives, and we feast on rich and savory foods.
Feeling bad that we had not adopted any particular traditions for "regular" New Years, I decided that we'd start an annual tradition of throwing ourselves a tropical party. We grilled shrimp and chicken on our tabletop griller, ate fruit from South America, and wore kooky party hats designed by my daughter.
All in all, it was a great New Years, and in nineteen days (or fewer, according to the countdown clock), we'll celebrate it again--but this time, with the food, decorations, and activities from China!
Happy 2012!
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