Things to do right on CNY

[orchids]

I remember my mom wouldn’t let me touch the books on 年初一, wonder if anyone still practise this now?


Btw, what is the min. ang pow money you would give?

[acforfamily]

BigDevil:

It basically means \"beginning of Spring\". So there's also 立夏, 立秋 and 立冬 which signifies the start of the different seasons.


You can read more about it http://baike.baidu.com/view/25702.htm

This brings me to another term, Winter Solstice, 冬至日 which is also celebrated by Chinese. I have always wondered why all Chinese festivals use the lunar calendar except this one which follows the solar calendar. The older folks will tell you that you are a year older after this day, NOT after your birthday nor the Chinese New Year

Got this from Wikipedia:
Dōngzhì Festival
Families eat pink and white tangyuan, symbolizing family unity and prosperity.Main article: Dōngzhì Festival
The Winter Solstice Festival or The Extreme of Winter (Chinese and Japanese: 冬至; Korean: 동지; Vietnamese: Đông chí) (Pinyin: Dōng zhì), (Rōmaji: Tōji), (Romaja:Dongji) is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians during the dongzhi solar term on or around December 21 when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest; i.e., on the first day of the dongzhi solar term. The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in. The philosophical significance of this is symbolized by the I Ching hexagram fù (復, \"Returning\").
Traditionally, the Dongzhi Festival is also a time for the family to get together. One activity that occurs during these get togethers (especially in the southern parts of China and in Chinese communities overseas) is the making and eating of Tangyuan (湯圓, as pronounced in Cantonese; Mandarin Pinyin: Tāng Yuán) or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion.
In Korea, similar balls of glutinous rice (Korean: 새알심) (English pronunciation:Saealsim), is prepared in a traditional porridge made with sweet red bean (Korean: 팥죽)(English pronunciation:Patjook). Patjook was believed to have a special power and sprayed around houses on winter solstice to repel sinister spirits. This practice was based on a traditional folk tale, in which the ghost of a man that used to hate patjook comes haunting innocent villagers on the winter solstice.

[ooptimizer]

orchids:

I remember my mom wouldn't let me touch the books on 年初一, wonder if anyone still practise this now?


Btw, what is the min. ang pow money you would give?

It all depends on who is receiving the ang pow...

[Andaiz]

orchids:

I remember my mom wouldn't let me touch the books on 年初一, wonder if anyone still practise this now?


Btw, what is the min. ang pow money you would give?

orchids, check out this thread http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8602

[starlight1968sg]

Related to CNY, how much do you give for red packets to colleagues’ or friends’ kids?