Happy Chinese New Year Iwaku!

[Zen]

Unlike the Gregorian calendar, where New Year's starts on January 1st, Chinese New Year follows the Lunar Calendar. And today is Chinese New Year! So all us kids and singles get money from the married couples, we eat a ton of food, wish everyone good luck and good fortune and light up some fireworks.

To all you Snakes, this year is suppose to be your year!

Gong Xi Fa Chai!

Sun Nien Fi Lok!

Happy Chinese New Year! The New Year is upon us!

 

[Kooriryu]

[h=5]恭喜發財[/h]kung hei fat choy!

 

[Juneberry]

Happy New Year~ I will draw a "Fu" for you guys later maybe o3o I remember drawing one in grade school when we were learning the basics on Chinese New Year and the Chinese zodiac. I'm a monkey, so it's not my year...But...I wish much luck to everyone and anyone, and especially to the snakes~ But to everyone really. :D

 

[October Knight]

As a lover of Dim sum, I gotta say the Chinese defiantly have got their shit together.

I will blow something up to honor the snake and the new year!

 

[Quiet One]

Oh Great! What the hell does this mean for a monkey?!

 

[Kitti]

Happy New Year, Zen!
I have a question, though, because now I'm curious! What's the origin of the married giving money to the kids/singles? Something based in the myths and legends, or more of a practical reasoning?

 

[Zen]

I'm pretty sure it's a practical stand point, although there might be a myth or legend involved. (Chinese New Year has been around for 5000 years so I don't really know much about the history. >.<) The money contained inside is 'lucky money' for the children and singles to spend on whatever they like. Red because in Asian cultures it's considered lucky. From what I've heard and observed on my own is you don't give out $4 dollars because the homophone of four is death and that's a big no no.

 

[Kooriryu]

Also, the parents take the ang bao for "safe keeping" for the future. Then you never see that money again.