It's a holiday that I think is well worth borrowing, even for those of us who do not share the traditional beliefs behind it. As I understand it, you celebrate Chinese New Year mostly by wishing prosperity to your friends and neighbors and getting together with your family. What's not to like about those things?
To get you in the mood, here are some pictures from two years ago. I'm especially fond of the fourth picture.
Cross posted at Jim Miller on Politics.
(And a happy Gung Haggis Fat Choy to those of you who celebrate that somewhat less well-known holiday.)
Posted by Jim Miller at January 26, 2009 04:45 PM | Email ThisFor anyone that loves fireworks, schedule a trip to China during Spring Festival (Chinese New Year); if you don't blow off at least two strings of 10,000 firecrackers and dozen 50mm (2") mortar shares, you haven't lived!
It was fun here last night - we blew through $80 worth of fireworks, took me, my GM's cousin and her uncle about 3 hours to blow it all (a massive amount of works for that price). Makes an old pyro like me feel really happy!
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on January 26, 2009 05:50 PMOne problem though. In China, they are supposed to eat a bunch of fried food on the Lunar New Year.
Two to three days later they are not supposed to visit relatives and friends - apparently, the fried food will manifest as a lousy mood and arguments could start then. So they are advised to avoid including people they care about in long conversations or visits.
Posted by: correctnotright on January 26, 2009 09:06 PM