2024 Lunar New Year

 It is that time again every year, a few nights ago was Lunar New Year! I spent some good, quality time with my family, and overall had a great time. Just like the start of 2024, I would like to take things as a new start, and focus on the present, rather than worry about the future or past mistakes. 

This year, like usual, I celebrated the new year with my direct family, yet did wish my extended family a happy new year all the way in China. We usually do not do a huge celebration, but do recognize and do a few traditions from past ancestors. 

We ate a delicious dinner on New Years eve, consisting soup, duck "tacos," sticky rice, and other goodies. During the dinner, we talked over different goals and reflected on the past year. As this is the year of the dragon, though my animal zodiac is not a dragon, I wanted to be fierce and strong this lunar new year. 

Another tradition our family does is the red envelope. They are given usually to children from their parents, and contain money. This year, I also got money from Carl, one of my close family friends, along with the money from both my parents. Just to be funny, every year, I usually give my parents an envelope with a dollar as well.

 These are the main traditions my family follows up with every year, however we also do a few small things just for fun, and to reminisce the China my parents miss.

My mom told my sister and I that back in the day in China, children would kneel down to their parents and grandparents feet, and bow. In return, the children would receive a red envelope from them. As my sister and I already got our red envelopes, we just knelt down for laughs and just to kind of hop on with the tradition.

Also, my dad told my sister and I to sleep with the outside lights on, as it goes from year to the next. We kept our living room, kitchen, and dining room lights on, and turned off all the other lights. I do not fully remember, but I am pretty sure my dad said doing this is a belief to wear off evil spirits as the new year starts.