Happy New Year - Kung Hei Fat Choi!

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Good news for those of use who have had trouble sticking to the new year resolutions: it's New Year time again, but this time, it's Chinese new year!
The preparations for the event are in full swing in HK. We get two days off next week, people are decorating the streets, offices, homes. It's tradition to eat something sweet (to ensure a sweet year to come) so you get huge displays of chocolates and cakes in the shops which suits people like me just fine..

A few things I've learned about the new year:
- It's the most important of traditional Chinese holidays
- 2008 is the year of the Rat
- It is not a great year for people like me born in the year of the Horse. Actually Horses in general are incompatible with Rats
- One of the traditions for the New Year is to give red packets. These are red envelopes full of money that people exchange. Usually married and elder people, along with people in managerial positions, are supposed to distribute these around them. For example, I am supposed to give a red envelope to the guys who guard my building. I still am not clear how much I should give though. My married colleagues are expected to give me an envelope. I heard our company also distributes packets for all employees, am curious to see that..
- It's a time where people go and visit their families. The bad weather conditions in China these days are a particularly bad misfortune, as many people are stranded without being able to see their families. It's a bit like in Europe if the plane you were supposed to take to go back home for Christmas got cancelled.
- Red is a lucky and festive colour present everywhere at this period.
- You are supposed to do all your spring cleaning before the new year. It's bad luck to do it after (or even worse, during)
- What happens on the first day of the new year symbolises the rest of the year to come. This year the first day is Feb 7th, and I am planning to see The Police in concert in Macau! So I hope my whole year 2008 will be full of concerts and strong emotions, as well as maybe some good financial prospects if I gamble successfully in the Macau casinos on that day...

Stay tuned for the next episode of New Year's traditions: my visit to the fortune teller...

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