Yes, I admit that the title is not very 'auspicious' to the festivity of Chinese New Year. However, since we have all been in the turmoil of this chaotic year of global financial downcast, almost back to back natural catastrophe around the world, fallen pop and movie stars, disappointing latest product features, et al; I am sure almost all people around the world are looking forward to a brighter new year. So, let's ding dong away to the bottom half of the New Year's Eve activity.
We're almost there, I promise.
Now the fish is 'half full' on the New Year's Eve dinner table, wine is tasted as a token for a long lasting happiness, it's time for the younger generations to pay respect to the elders, and wish them a long lasting life and a happy new year. The older custom is that the eldest family members of
the family, grand parents or great grand parents, to sit on the chairs next to the shrine for the ancestors. The younger generations: sons and daughters in-law and their children (the grand children), the daughters (not married) to line up in front of the elders to wish them happy new year either by bowing down or by kneeling down and bow down to the ground. The elders then distribute money or candies in the red envelope, to bless the younger generations either with fortune or good marriage (of course it is always the best to put money in the red envelope since, to be honest, we do love money more than candies). We call This money or candies in the red envelope 红hóng包bäo: 红hóng is for the color red, and 包bäo here refers to the packet - the envelope in this scenario. The children then pay respect to their parents, but there is no need to bow down or kneeling down, since those gestures are reserved for the eldest family members. The parents also distribute红hóng包bäo to the children. Although the money inside红hóng包bäo is not necessarily much, it is a symbol of blessings from the parents and the elders in the family, as well as a symbol of family wealth, showing that they have enough to give.After paying respect to everyone in the family, most Chinese families will play 麻máh将jòng while waiting for the new year to come. With all the games and movies on DVD/Blue Ray available nowadays, we an observe a family of at least three generations being clustered by the games of their cohere age: grand parents playing麻máh将jòng, moms and dads either join grand parents on the麻máh将jòng table or watch movies on DVD, while the kids either play Wii, PSP, X-box or online games on PCs or laptops. All these activities will continue even after midnight. This is守shǒu岁sùi. 岁sùi is normally a term to describe age, for example 10 years old is described as 10 (shí) 岁sùi. In other words, 岁sùi refers to a year (a cycle). To 守shǒu岁sùi means to 'keep the year', as 守shǒu refers to 'keep' or 'guard'. You would wonder why we want to "keep the year" since we've been going through so much (painstaking) detail to 'ding dong' away the current year. Well, it actually is a symbol of keeping/guarding to ensure a safe transition between the old and the new year. To make sure that everyone makes it to another year.
The final call is coming and the clock finally strikes 12!!
One of the key offering items that are now on the shrine table is the firecracker. Yes, the Disney version of the world destructing invention of our ancestors. This is not the small and loud 'one ping only' type of firecracker. It is a long string of many small 'one ping only' things that will keep 'ping-ing' for as long as it takes. We light up the long string of firecracker, using the loud 'auspicious' sound and flashes to get rid of the old and to welcome the new. Make sure there is no stopping of the firecracker, as it is considered a bad omen, which predicts the misfortune of the family. When the firecrackers pays its tribute to the New Year, remember to gather all the ashes with a broomstick, sweep it inwards into the house on a dustpan. The firecracker ashes are regarded as fortune, and of course you don't leave the fortune on the ground outside of yours house. You scoop them in and keep them for the year to come (the fortune, not the ashes, you can put the ashes into the trash can after you scoop them in).
Now can we all go to bed? Sorry, no. It would be better if you can stay up all night, if not, for as late as possible. So gather your energy while trying to stay up all night. For it is the New Year, and we have other things to do on the 1st day of the New Year!!
Some may notice that when I mention the family member, I put a bracket behind the daughters, specifying not married. Well, the married daughters are with the family they are married into, playing the 'daughters- in-law' part with the sons. They will come home, as one of the days in New Year celebration is reserved especially for the married daughters. We'll talk about it when it comes.
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