As a family tradition always go to my parent's house to have the first meal of the year. In almost all cases, the first meal would be at midnight which means we bring our kids to my parents house early, let them eat light early and make them go to bed early. Then around 11:30pm, we'll wake them up and get them ready to have the first meal as a family unit. And in that first meal, which consists of 7-9 dishes of all kinds of veggies/grains each representing a good blessing such as bak choi(bok choy) which relates to 'faat choih' meaning having great fortune. Etc. We must eat or try all of the dishes although some aren't as tasty as others. We also have to make sure our first bowl of rice is completely finished and cleaned and to add more rice to the bowl which represents more abundance of food.
The best part of the first meal as a family is after eating we get our Red Envelopes or Hong Bao which has money in it! I used to get it but since after marriage and kids, all the Hong Baos go to the kids.And they love it know they are getting a treat and now the boys are old enough, they know they get money and they can buy things with it like candy...hehehe
The pictures below are of 'opening' the New Year and having a feast at my parents house. My dad and mom will go all out with all kind of delicious foods, whether cooked or some bought, we have more dishes than people! It was just super delicious.
Clayton's Chinese class celebrated Chinese New Year too! In his class they made dragon faces and paraded all around the school. It was great! and he made an awesome dragon too!
Books I read in 2025 (with ratings)
8 months ago
