Chinese New Year. Lunar New Year. Spring Festival. A grand holiday of many names and still my favorite, aside from Christmas.
I did not get a chance to visit Chinatown this year, but long to relive memories from the 2011 parade.
Thousands walked joyfully, a swaying mass spilling over the curbs to witness the lion dancers, wave banners, and steady cameras and smartphones. People leaned on each other for a better view, ignoring usual social proprietary for personal space; their single purpose held more power than any need for elbow room.
People spoke their minds and respected one another’s differences.
The healthy supported the unsteady elderly and young children dressed in fine brocade, little girls gaily shaking their braided pigtails in glee rested on top their parents’ shoulders.
Lavish restaurants served to capacity, long lines extending outside their doors and frantic staff waiting on the hungry with weary, but welcoming smiles.
Tourist shops and novelty stands promised good fortune through usual goods- bamboo plants, fans, red envelopes, puppets, noisemakers, and confetti poppers, which tourists purchased in abundance. Multicolored and metallic paper covered every conceivable concrete and asphalt surface, burying any regular debris. Street vendors waved spiced meat and steamed dumplings while the fresh produce markets displayed ripe fruit, Asian vegetables, and seafood packed on ice.
Heavy drum beats, excited voices, and general cheer echoed along every alley, one-way, and dead-end. Eventually, police cleared the area and city sanitation picked up bling as they cleaned the littered roads.
I will always celebrate Chinese New Year with hope, optimism, and happiness. Most of all, this holiday represents love and familial perseverance; I look forward to sharing how I celebrated it this year in the next few days.
Gung Hay Fat Choy to you and yours!
