Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Chinese New Year Glitter Graphics

To hear the video, please pause the player to the right in the side bar.
The music you are listening to, is a variety of New Year music, including one from Taiwan traditional New Year music! Wonderfully cheery isn't it? I hope you enjoy.

Chinese New Year is a 15 day celebration, beginning on February 7th on the mainland and I believe I also read somewhere that it is beginning on February 6th in Taiwan, but remember that Taiwan and China are about 14 hours ahead of us, so they could have meant the 6 th here but the 7th there..lol. During the Chinese New Year, the country of Taiwan pretty much lay down their jobs in a lot of their jobs and go to festivals and events that are all apart of the celebration, at least government jobs do....we know this because of the court speed ups you experience right before the new year and the court slow downs you experience right during and after the new year!


In some aspects, the Chinese New Year does resemble the American New Year. They have fire works, they have new year resolutions, new year hopes and dreams... etc. In some ways however their new year is so different and wonderful! They have dragon dancing, parades, and Lantern festivals just to name a few things! Isn't it awesome what your new child has or will bring to your life? I am so happy that we have this part of us now to share with Jeremiah each and every year. It is such a colorful celebration with hope and new days to look forward too!

This Sunday, Jeremiah will wear his favorite outfit.. his traditional chinese outfit that we got him while in Taiwan. He loves wearing his outfit for his special occasions! And wouldn't you know it? He looks so snazzy in it too?! Anyways, he will wear his outfit to church so that they too can share in his country's celebration! I just wish we could let off some of those sky lanterns... too cool!!!!!! So, to wrap this up, Happy New Year!!!!!!

(as found on Infoplease.com)
A Ratty Year

Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in rat years tend to be leaders, pioneers, and conquerors. They are charming, passionate, charismatic, practical and hardworking. Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Affleck, Samuel L. Jackson, William Shakespeare, and Mozart were all born in the year of the rat.

Fireworks and Family Feasts

At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.

The Lantern Festival

In China, the New Year is a time of family reunion. Family members gather at each other's homes for visits and shared meals, most significantly a feast on New Year's Eve. In the United States, however, many early Chinese immigrants arrived without their families, and found a sense of community through neighborhood associations instead. Today, many Chinese-American neighborhood associations host banquets and other New Year events.

Chinese New Year ends with the lantern festival on the fifteenth day of the month. Some of the lanterns may be works of art, painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and scenes from legend and history. People hang glowing lanterns in temples, and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon.

In many areas the highlight of the lantern festival is the dragon dance. The dragon—which might stretch a hundred feet long—is typically made of silk, paper, and bamboo. Traditionally the dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets. In the United States, where the New Year is celebrated with a shortened schedule, the dragon dance always takes place on a weekend. In addition, many Chinese-American communities have added American parade elements such as marching bands and floats.

Although as a Christian family, we do not believe in the "legend" or celebrate the spiritual side of the New Year, we do share the culture of the New Year celebration with our Taiwanese adopted son! We are so happy to add his wonderful and rich culture to ours as we live and grow together. I think the Lantern festival is just beautiful and would love to see that in person, Maybe one day little man! I hope to one day see him involved in his cultural celebrations such as the dragon dance or the Lantern festival! Just beautiful. Thank you Jeremiah for sharing your wonderful heritage with us every day! We love you! Shing Shang Hau!

(ifnoplease.com)