March 6, 2007 1833
Adrian Tripp's Chinese New Year program was a great chance to eat some good food, have fun with friends, and learn about another culture. Upon reaching his apartment, all the doors and windows were noticeably opened. Guests received red envelopes, which Adrian explained traditionally held money but at his event held information about the holiday. These red envelopes are also referred to as red packets. According to the Wikipedia entry “Chinese New Year,” the money within a red packet should usually have an even most significant digit. Because the number four is considered unlucky, it should never contain four dollars, although eight is a lucky number so eight dollars is a common amount.
The card started by explaining how to have good luck. First, opening windows and doors brings good luck. That must be why his were! Adrian informed us that by keeping your windows and doors opened, you allowed the good luck to flow into your household. Other ways to bring good luck are switching on lights at night, eating candy, and keeping a clean house.
Of course, after listing ways to bring yourself good luck, there were also ways to bring bad luck. You can't avoid something you don't know about! During Chinese New Years, you shouldn't buy shows, pants, or books. You also shouldn't sweep the floors. What was very interesting to me was that cutting or washing your hair is bad luck! By cutting your hair, you're cutting your luck, and by washing your hair, you're washing the good luck away. I'm glad the holiday only lasts fifteen days, because I wouldn't want to go much longer than that without washing my hair!
Once the good and bad luck written about in our red packets was explained, we went on to discuss other aspects of the holiday. Chinese New Year lasts for fifteen days, with each day having its own name and celebrations. People commonly wear red for good luck and to scare away evil spirits. Fire crackers are also used to scare away the evil spirits. Of course, today these things are done out of respect for tradition and enjoyment, usually not to force evil spirits away. Lanterns are also commonly lit to celebrate the holiday.
After the holiday and ways to bring luck were explained, guests talked while Adrian finished preparing some food, giving everyone a chance to enjoy each other's company. Not only do programs like this let you learn about other cultures, they give you a chance to get together as a community and get to know your neighbors. That's why I always try to attend my RA's programs.
Before eating the food, Adrian told us a little about it. He prepared some dumplings, but did so differently than normal. Traditionally, a coin is placed in one dumpling, and whoever finds it gets good luck for the year. Rather than put a coin in a dumpling, Adrian simply prepared it with a different filling so that no one would have to bite into a coin. He also cooked some noodles and other snacks for the guests. The program provided guests with a fun filled and enlightening evening. I learned a lot about the holiday and found Chinese New Year to be much more interesting that the traditional, American New Year.
