Chinese New Year

新年好 🐍 🍾 🎇

Snakey New Year Goodness!

Comments

  • Happy new year!!
  • NicoleMRNicoleMR Shipmate
    Oh, is it today? That explains all the fireworks in my neighborhood. Happy New Year!
  • FirenzeFirenze Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    I'm married to a snake.

    (I am, of course, an ox. Whatever the astrological scheme, I always come out as useful farm animal).
  • I am, as some of you might guess, a 🐖 But in Chinese astrology, that’s pretty cool.

    What are the characteristics of the pig in the Chinese zodiac?

    Kind and generous: Pigs are known for being kind, generous, and honest.
    Peace-making: Pigs are known for being peace-makers who try to resolve conflicts. (Ed: Don’t ask @Ruth)
    Hardworking: Pigs are known for being hardworking and diligent.
    Loyal: Pigs are known for being loyal and devoted.
    Social: Pigs are known for being social and enjoying the company of others.

    What is the significance of the pig in Chinese culture?
    In Chinese culture, the pig is a symbol of luck and wealth
  • SarasaSarasa All Saints Host
    I'm a snake, does that make this year specially lucky for me?
  • Foaming DraughtFoaming Draught Shipmate
    edited January 29
    @Sarasa, thus spake DeepSeek AI:

    Positive characteristics
    Wise: People born in the Year of the Snake are said to be wise, intelligent, and perceptive.
    Intuitive: They are said to have a strong intuition and are good at understanding others.
    Charismatic: They are said to be charming, elegant, and stylish.
    Strategic: They are said to be goal-oriented and determined to achieve their goals.
    Responsible: They are said to be responsible and make devoted partners.
    Good at talking: They are said to be great speakers and deep thinkers.

    Negative characteristics
    Stubborn: They can be stubborn and overconfident.
    Sceptical: They can be cautious and sceptical.
    Materialistic: They can be materialistic and love to have nice things.

    Other characteristics
    They are said to be enigmatic, uncanny, and intimidating.
    They are said to be good at creating opportunities for themselves and others.
    They are said to be good at forming deep bonds in relationships.

    Nothing about whether it’s lucky or not, soz.
  • GarasuGarasu Shipmate
    The year of the Yin Wood Snake, even...
  • ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
    edited January 29
    I am a snake also. Wishes to all celebrating Chinese/Lunar (some friends have definite views on the preferred term! 🙂) New Year; I am enjoying seeing photos of dinners and such.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I'm apparently a tiger, which bearing in mind my Ship moniker is rather disappointing ... :mrgreen:

    I really don't like snakes (partly a legacy from David, who was absolutely terrified of them - he couldn't even watch bits of The Jungle Book, or the opening titles of Blackadder), but I'd like to wish everyone who's celebrating a happy, peaceful and joy-filled year ahead.
  • ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
    edited January 29
    Piglet wrote: »
    I really don't like snakes (partly a legacy from David, who was absolutely terrified of them - he couldn't even watch bits of The Jungle Book, or the opening titles of Blackadder)...
    I don't recall them in Blackadder's titles at all. Off topic, but while I do not like them, I have not the terror I know others experience, like David. It must be exceptionally difficult, whatever one's intense phobia.

    A friend sent me a list of their family (Malaysian and Japanese-Italian) feast last night which as well as traditional dishes featured Lebanese (zaatar), Greek (spanakopita) and Indian (curries) dishes. They are a foodie family, but I found that interesting. Multicultural Australia in action I suppose.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I think it was in the Tudor series - Blackadder II - it begins with a snake on a checkerboard.
  • My goodness it's going to be my year!!!! I will try to live it up. I remember with much affection my work colleagues bringing wonderful treats into work, yum! We had a very multicultural staff and our morning teas were famous! (Not my contributions, alas).

    I am sure there will be many red packets being exchanged by former colleagues this weekend.

    Cheery daughter has gone to the big smoke to experience celebrations in Chinatown, I am sure she will have a great time! We have a Chinatown here too, where she celebrated last year. Perhaps she is working up to experiencing one in China. I must ask her when she gets home.
  • ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
    edited January 30
    Hope she has a great time! Good memories from yourself.

    Being a recent graduate, and the youngest, the Asian-heritage ladies in my first post-uni job used to give me red packets.

    I know it's not Double Bay or Vaucluse, and they have their reputation (not entirely deserved... but I get "where there's smoke"*) -- but I miss Fairfield/Cabramatta. I was lucky to have the quite diverse multicultural youth I did -- not sure if it is still the case but Fairfield City once had the highest number of languages spoken in a Sydney council area.


    * when I studied German as an adult two classmates from the North Shore asked me to take them to Cabramatta (large Vietnamese and SE Asian population, originally German, Russian (huge church there!) and southern European). Afterwards they both expressed surprise, disappointment even, that they did not witness violence on the streets... They did enjoy lunch and the shops at least!
  • ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
    * originally -- sorry, post WWII.
  • ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
    It may not appeal to anyone but reminiscing I looked up last year's celebration in Cabramatta. Happy memories.
  • Happy New Year! I'm a goat...
  • Climacus wrote: »
    Hope she has a great time! Good memories from yourself.

    Being a recent graduate, and the youngest, the Asian-heritage ladies in my first post-uni job used to give me red packets.

    I know it's not Double Bay or Vaucluse, and they have their reputation (not entirely deserved... but I get "where there's smoke"*) -- but I miss Fairfield/Cabramatta. I was lucky to have the quite diverse multicultural youth I did -- not sure if it is still the case but Fairfield City once had the highest number of languages spoken in a Sydney council area.


    * when I studied German as an adult two classmates from the North Shore asked me to take them to Cabramatta (large Vietnamese and SE Asian population, originally German, Russian (huge church there!) and southern European). Afterwards they both expressed surprise, disappointment even, that they did not witness violence on the streets... They did enjoy lunch and the shops at least!
    .

    Double Bay and Vaucluse???!!!! Arse end of the Eastern Suburbs ( gulag just down the road from Vaucluse)

    Nowhere like Bossley Park😻😻

  • Merry VoleMerry Vole Shipmate
    edited January 30
    Yesterday evening a Chinese lady brought home-made Chinese cookies to our folk club meeting and we drank green tea. Lovely!

    Apparently I'm an ox (well working in the NHS I certainly know about long hours..).
    I have a Dragon Bride for a wife!
  • ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
    edited January 30
    Sojourner wrote: »
    Nowhere like Bossley Park😻😻
    You truly have an amazing memory. It was good for me. Somewhat sheltered, I knew no-one from private school until I went to uni (two cousins on my dad's side excepted: Kings and Tara -- my uncle "made it") for example; and, yes, we all live in a Western society but it was interesting the differences in life and upbringing. Off topic...
    Merry Vole wrote: »
    Yesterday evening a Chinese lady brought home-made Chinese cookies to our folk club meeting and we drank green tea. Lovely!
    Yum.

    I love the ceremony associated with tea. The tapped fingers signalling "Thank you" in informal situations, for example, and the wonderful story behind it (not meaning to teach people to suck eggs but if you don't know it, worth a short read).

    I remember the first Chinese NY banquet I went to. My mum having tried to bring me up to be polite I sat back as they went for it like the food would expire any minute. "Ian," my friend said, "don't sit back. We won't!" "Anglos!", with a jesting shake of the head, was another's response ha ha.
  • I did not know of the tapped fingers--thank you!
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