Happy Lunar New Year! While most people have large family dinners on New Year’s Eve, my husband and I celebrated with our own tradition of ordering in from a neighbouring Chinese restaurant. There are a few dishes we ALWAYS get – stir-fried rice cakes (neen gau), steamed dumplings and sesame seed balls. Sometimes, we’ll also order spring rolls (like this year). In the past, we wouldn’t eat the sesame balls until midnight, but these days, we just aren’t able to stay up that late, so we have one for dessert and another in the morning.
Another tradition my husband and I have are New Year’s chocolates. I never really liked traditional Chinese candies, and when, a few years ago, I saw that mall chocolate chain, Purdy’s sold Lunar New Year themed tins, I was elated. Sure, it’s not my FAVOURITE brand – I prefer small batch, independent companies like, say, Soma or ChocoSol – but they address a certain demographic, namely people like me who celebrate the Lunar New Year, yet, have zero interest in traditional candies (note: a local, small batch chocolate maker, David Chow, also makes Lunar New Year chocolates. Definitely a must-try next year!).
This year’s Lunar New Year’s Eve dinner for two
We keep some traditions my parents have passed down to me, like lai see (hong bao in Mandarin – red lucky money envelopes) next each side of our bed, and, of course, the annual Spin of Prosperity Dinner at the CN Tower with my parents. That is a 30+ year tradition that many people find kind of…odd. I mean, why would one eat non-Chinese food over the Lunar New Year? Typically, these comments come from older, non-Chinese individuals who ALSO happen to be children of immigrants. I just tell people that not everyone follows old school customs, and really, does it even matter? We’re in a free country and going “by the book” is just too old fashioned. Perhaps these people are just jealous/resentful that THEIR FAMILIES would get upset if they didn’t follow “rules” as younger adults. Or that they fear that people like me are diluting/bastardizing/appropriating customs. WHO CARES???!!! As long as I’m happy…
Anyway, wishing everyone who celebrates a prosperous, successful and happy Year of the Dog!
