Celebration

Although the lunar Chinese New Year celebration has past for two weeks, the lively and festive atmosphere still lingers in my head.

I spent the special New Year in my workplace instead of with my family, and different relations helped me feel more relaxed, free and happy. The good mood started from early morning, when I got to the kitchen. I tried to say hello to an early arrived co-worker, but I hesitated thinking about a new year greeting such as happy new year or be healthy, which we were forced to say with each met family member during the whole day. The colleague didn’t mind and let me follow my heart. Her words left me free when I met the other workers.

At work we had a red envelope given, a reunion feast and new year gifts were arranged in the evening, which was varied from my hometown given out at noon. Red envelope as the name is red and the cash inside is also red symbolizes happiness and to be joyful. The cash face value usually starts with six, eight, ten and twelve, and enlarges to one hundred, one hundred and twenty and more. Red envelope is the young generation's bonus in family and will be lost when the young get married. It is almost the best happy childhood memory for everyone. It's still a happiness to get a red envelope when we are working.

Six dishes were offered for the workers at the reunion feast. Food ingredients contained seafood, poultry, livestock, soup and dessert. Six means super awesome and the sound of it is similar with ox in Chinese, which corresponds with the zodiac ox year. Bacon and sausage are the marks of home and New Year in southwest China.

The last part was a gift given before getting off work. Everyone got three red gift boxes, one was cookies which were sweet and meant a sweet life and it fitted children's taste. The second one was an orange box, and that yellow color also was a lucky and rich symbol. Their round shape stands for getting together. The third was a shrimp box which represented that the company showed respect and blessing to the workers' family. The company gave a chance to their workers to share the important day with their family. In my hometown, all kinds of sugar and candy play the leading role as the new year gifts. The form not the value of the gift matters most among families.

In many ways, this Spring Festival showed diversifications from one culture and impressed me much. I wish as long as I live in a new cultural place, I can find, feel and enjoy fresh stories.