This (Chinese) New Year

by Brenna Holeman

Chinese New Year 9

Bangkok, Thailand

Tomorrow is Chinese New Year. The New Year is more than just a celebration; it is the start of a new agricultural year, and a time for loved ones to meet. It is also a time to prepare for good luck, and to encourage luck to enter your home so that the next 12 months to come are healthy, happy, and prosperous.

But how to prepare for luck? People traditionally hang red banners and ribbons in windows and doorways to ward off evil spirits. The worst spirit of all is Nian, a monster who comes out from its home in the mountains or the sea at the New Year; it is said to be scared of loud noises and the colour red. It is Nian that we usually see portrayed in New Year festivals. The best way to encourage luck to enter your house is to make sure it is clean from top to bottom: sweep, dust, clean out cluttered cupboards, wash your sheets. And then, on the actual day of New Year, do not clean at all; you risk cleaning away the good luck that has been bestowed upon you. Some people don’t even wash their hair for fear of washing away the newfound luck.

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A few years ago, I was in Bangkok for the Chinese New Year. Kerri and I put on our newly purchased red dresses from Khao San Road, and then headed into Chinatown. The streets were packed; steam rose up from the many food stalls serving dumplings, noodles, and fish. Merchants were selling charms, toys, and lanterns, and piles of nian gao, a cake made from glutinous rice that’s especially enjoyed at the New Year, seemed to be for sale from every second stall. In the distance we could hear kids setting off firecrackers. We partook as best we could, filling up on Chinese sweets and purchasing bracelets and fans. We tried to catch as much of the parade as we could as it passed by on another street, but the throngs of people blocking our view deterred us, and we returned to the street with all the food stalls.

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Chinese New Year 6

Though we didn’t go for the bird nest or shark fins

This year, the year of the Horse, is a particularly bad one for Rats. I happen to be a Rat. We are apparently going to have a trying year, one of many lows. We are encouraged not to travel, which is quite difficult given my profession and my passion.

So today, in preparation, I cleaned my flat. I washed my bedding, organised my closet, took a nice long bath. And I thought about how luck is cyclical; how, while sometimes there are lows, they will surely be balanced with highs. Life can’t be amazing all the time, but it’s how we manage the bad times that help us grow and become better people.

I don’t know how much I believe in Chinese astrology, or any astrology; I didn’t grow up with these traditions, and I question how every single person born in a year or in a month can have the same fortune (or, for us Rats, misfortune).

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Just in case, though, tomorrow I’m going to put on a red dress. And tonight? Well, a swipe of red lipstick couldn’t hurt.

Have you ever celebrated Chinese New Year? Do you know your Chinese astrological sign and what it means? Do you believe in astrology? 

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12 comments

Christine January 30, 2014 - 7:40 pm

I’m a “rat” as well but I don’t follow Chinese astrology though.

Reply
Brenna Holeman January 31, 2014 - 3:10 pm

I always like to read about it, but I don’t take much of it to heart! I believe we make our own luck.

Reply
Melissa January 31, 2014 - 1:15 am

I’m a Tiger, so the prediction is pretty good. 😉 But ultimately, while I can enjoy paying attention to things like this – especially after living in Asia – it’s comforting to believe we all make our own luck. Which you seem to excel at! Wear LOTS of red tomorrow. 🙂

Reply
Brenna Holeman January 31, 2014 - 3:11 pm

Yes! And Rats are supposed to hang out with Tigers this year. I totally agree with you – we all make our own luck. Still wearing a red dress, though. 😉

Reply
Katie @ Domestiphobia January 31, 2014 - 4:25 pm

Nooo! I vacuumed the rug yesterday, but I didn’t read this post ’till today, so there is nothing else clean in my house. :/ Hopefully for us dogs, though, this will still be a good year. I could really use it! (And the good news is, now I have a great excuse for not cleaning anything today.) 😉

Reply
Brenna Holeman January 31, 2014 - 6:10 pm

Ha ha – definitely a great excuse not to clean! Here’s hoping this new year is a wonderful one for you.

Reply
Alyssa James January 31, 2014 - 6:36 pm

Woman, you are so prolific I can barely keep up with you. It’s great!

Lady, you don’t need luck – you’ve got all the charm in the world 😉

Reply
Brenna Holeman January 31, 2014 - 7:14 pm

Ha ha – thanks Alyssa! Wearing red lipstick just in case, even though I’m all alone in my flat.

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Jackie D February 1, 2014 - 8:09 pm

I’m a Dragon (coolest one, let’s be real) and I just looked up my predictions for 2014 and it says I shouldn’t work too hard because it will stress me out too much, and I should take several vacations. I think this Chinese astrology is on to something.

Reply
Brenna Holeman February 2, 2014 - 6:09 pm

Fine, I agree. Dragon is coolest, definitely better than a rat or a goat. But that’s no need to rub your dragon luck in my face!

Reply
Zalie February 3, 2014 - 12:12 pm

So far it’s not looking good for monkeys either 🙁

Reply
Brenna Holeman February 3, 2014 - 7:01 pm

I’m sure the year will get better for us both 🙂

Reply

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