Chinese New Year 2014

Chinese New Year is a very big holiday each year, lasting fifteen days.  Because it is connected to the lunar calendar, each year the dates are different; this year Chinese New Year (CNY) was from January 31-February 14.  This year is the Year of the Horse. There are beliefs about what your personality will be like if you are born in the Year of the Horse (or any other year), how successful you will be, your health and your wealth, etc.

Decorations in Chinatown

For the first two or three days of CNY, many of the businesses on the island shut down. You need to stock up on groceries before CNY, as we found out the hard way--we needed hamburger buns for a meal for some visitors, but the stores were all out because there had been no bread deliveries for two or three days!

The following pictures show an area below our building that is usually bustling with people eating and shopping.  These pictures show how deserted things become during Chinese New Year!  A stray cat had taken up residence on one of the tables that is usually used for eating.

A big part of CNY is reunion dinners.  People gather together with family members and friends and have meals together.  I wrote last year about some of the traditions that go along with these visits.  This year we were invited to the home of Yoon Chuan and Jee Fung and their family, along with Roy and Poh Choo and their family. 

Ready to mix the "yu sheng," a traditional Chinese salad usually 

made with shredded vegetables, toppings and sauces, and raw fish

Yu sheng before mixing

Those we celebrated with

 

Poh Choo with my girls and me, all wearing cheongsam, 

a traditional Chinese dress often worn during Chinese New Year

Each year the church has its own Chinese New Year celebration.  Different homes are opened to the church members for singing, an exhortation, food, and fellowship.  This year we went with quite a few others to the home of Elder Wong and his wife Wan Teng.

The first Sunday of Chinese New Year, my husband preached on Revelation 6.  In the New Testament, every year is the year of the horse--the years in which the four horses ride forth to accomplish God's counsel and work for the second coming of Christ.  "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever" (Rev. 5:13).