The sun peeked through the ivory curtains and wiggling my toes, I slowly rolled onto my stomach placing the pillow on top of my head. Suddenly, the door moves and slams the wall and I woke up with a fright!
It was my younger brother. He jumps onto the bed and starts bouncing around and making an announcement with his two small hands near his mouth saying that today is a big day! I rubbed my eyes, swinging my legs off the bed frame and decided to get dressed.
Everything was red and gold. There was bright red banners tapped around the house, along with an assortment of treats in a beautiful tray known as the tray of togetherness. I picked up a fruit candy from the tray and walked to the kitchen. I see my grandparents and mother preparing food for lunch. There was many dishes on the table ranging from fish, shrimp, stir-fried vegetables , and much more! Each dish was colourful and appealing. Then, I asked them If there was anything I can help with.
“Mom, what are you making next? Can I help you?”
“The dishes are almost ready, how about you help me grab all the bowl and chopsticks”
“How many do we need?”
“Let’s say around twenty, can you do that for me?”
“Oh wow! But there is only around five of us here. Will there be more people coming?”
“Yes, my sweetie. Your relatives such as your Aunts, Uncle, and cousins”
“Okay! Yay I get to see Uncle Ben and them”
I pulled a chair in front of the kitchen cupboard and stretched my arms to grab the bowls. One by one I grabbed them and placed it carefully on the table. And not too long after, the door bell rings. My mother opens the door and everyone greets each other saying 新年快乐(xin nian kuai le) ! After hearing those loud greetings, I rushed down the stairs and gave everyone a big hug but Uncle Ben decides to not hug me yet and asked me something.
“Karen, do you know what animal it is this year?”
“Umm… Ah! Last year was sheep”
“Yes, but I’m asking this year’s animal”
“Can you give me a hint?”
“Okay sure. It’s animal that is smart, adventurous, and flurry”
“But all animals have flur though”
“Haha, think about the animal from that famous movie called Journey to the West that flies on a cloud”
“Oh! I remember now. It’s the monkey..its the year of the monkey!”
“Haha yes, you are very smart!
Uncle Ben messes my hair and then my mother calls everyone for lunch. And then everyone grabs their cup and says 新年快乐(xin nian kuai le)!
—–
I am born and raised in Vancouver. One of the biggest gatherings for Chinese households would be Chinese New Year. My sense of home is basically having a homemade dinner with all my family members and relatives. It’s a time where everyone that you love and care about gathers together and feast to celebrate the new year. And each year there is a new animal and this year for 2016, it is the year of the Monkey! I thought about writing about this because we are currently celebrating this right now and each year it always brings me warmth.
This short story always brings me back memories where I would wake up on Chinese New Year and my family prepares food for us all. Now growing up, I have been participating in the process of preparing the Chinese New Year dishes and decoration of the house.
Here is a photo of this year’s Chinese New year lunch I helped prepare ( and in case you are wondering what the dark stuff on the left side of this photo.. it’s black sea cucumbers haha)
Every year my grandparents and family put a lot of effort in preparing for CNY dinner and looking at all this food on the table..I feel so blessed and spoiled. It is that feeling where you see all the homemade food prepared right in front of you. The process of passing the bowls and plates and conversation shared amongst everyone. It is the loudness of laughter and eating lots! I’m sure a lot can relate that elders have the tendency to always put more food on your plate. And of course, the red pockets. Children learn the traditional greetings and then they will receive red pockets. It’s the joy of saying good things to each other and not so much of the money that is received. And if you do not celebrate Chinese New year, I’m sure Christmas is another great example of how one can feel their sense of home.
Thanks for reading!
Karen
Work Cited
Moss, Stephen. “Is Hong Kong Really Rioting Over Fishball Stands?” the Guardian. N.p., 9 Feb. 2016. Web. 9 Feb. 2016. <http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2016/feb/09/hong-kong-fish-ball-revolution-china-riot>.
Parkinson, Rhonda. “Chinese New Year Food” Tray of Togetherness. Web. 9 Feb 2016. <http://chinesefood.about.com/od/foodfestivals/ig/new-year-food/Tray-of-Togetherness.htm>.
Hoffmann, M. “Chinese New Year Tradtions: Preparation Time!”. Web. 9 Feb.2016. <http://www.china-family-adventure.com/chinese-new-year-traditions.html>.
Chan, Cm. 齐天大圣孙悟空粤语2013. Youtube. N.p., 3 Oct.2013. Web. 8 Feb.2016<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfWJ8uXsRaI>.
Hello Karen!
Thank you for your story! I have to admit, I have never really read any stories about Chinese New Year before yours, thus I appreciate the details in your story of CNY celebrations. The Tray of Togetherness looks delicious! Of the fruits included the eight sections of the Tray of Togetherness – “winter melon, coconut, lotus seed, lotus root, water chestnut, carrot and tangerine” (Parkinson, “Chinese New Year Food”) – I have only tried half! The Tray of Togetherness reminds me of certain foods of celebration familiar to me from my own family gatherings, whether it be the ubiquitous birthday cake, or the Filipino pansit noodle dish, also served on birthdays, symbolizing good luck and long life.
Your story ends on a very comforting note, with imagery of family and playfulness (represented in the banter between you and your Uncle). I read your choice to end the story with the words “xin nian kuai le” as symbolic of the renewal of your sense of home through gathering, and how the idea of home is at the same time steeped in tradition and constantly evolving through time (perhaps tradition is so important because of this movement through time!).
Happy Chinese New Year!
Merriam
Hi Merriam,
Thank you for your positive feedback! I’m glad that you learned something new from my post. I’m not an expert about Chinese New Year but my family would always celebrate it so I build a better understanding through the years and have a stronger appreciation for traditions such as this one. And interesting! I never tried Filipino pandit noodle dish before, but sounds yummy!
Thanks for stopping by my blog
Karen
Karen, this story was lovely. The image you chose to introduce your story really reflected what you wonderfully described. If only all mornings could start like that, with the sun shining through rather than the heavy, brutal percussion of RAIN RAIN RAIN.
Anyways, I loved that you added the Chinese rather than the romanized version of the greeting of “happy new year!” Furthermore, I can notice the importance of the meal as being similar to a motif in my own story. Definitely, food for Asian cultures is important as a communal symbol. Everyone gathers around, and if possible, the creation of said food is also a wonderful opportunity for the family to come together. Your photo looks absolutely delicious, by the way. I’m getting so hungry; how dare youuuu—!
Thank you for the lovely story, Karen!
Thank you Brendan! Living in a vancouver there is definitely no surprise whenever there is rain. And haha I’m glad that you liked my story and yeah it was CNY during that time so I decided to write something on it since I am experiencing it