Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Happy Chinese New Year! Today marks the start of the Year of the Tiger.

Tiger (1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010)
Strong, noble, aggressive, independent and courageous. Also tend to be selfish and short tempered.

Metal Tiger (1950, 2010)
Energetic, difficult to express their own opinion, ambitious and not a good diplomat. Relaxing and enjoying life will bring more enjoyment.

Tigers are most compatible with Horse, Dragon, and Dog.


When I was younger, my mom's coworkers would give my brother and I lai see (red envelopes) containing "lucky money." Red symbolizes good luck and is supposed to ward off evil spirits. I found some recently that I had saved and found crisp one dollar bills still inside.

Another memory I have is going to my grandmother's house for dinner and having traditional New Years dishes. My favorite is a noodle dish called Buddha's Delight. It contains tofu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and other vegetables.

I also remember my dad taking us into the city to see the parade. It is the biggest one outside of China. Dancing dragons and lions, the Fortune Gods, and firecrackers are all big parts of the parade. They are meant to ward off evil spirits and welcome prosperity and good luck into the new year.

One of these days I will get myself back there for Chinese New Year. Until then, wishing you one filled with good luck.