First Sunday of the Year, January 8, 2012 is the
Pista ng Tatlong Hari (Feast of the Three Kings or the Epiphany), on the 9th is the Feast of the Black Nazarene, then on the 16th will be the Feast of the Sto. Nino.... all these events are still part of the Filipino Christmas Holiday celebrations. It has been said that our country celebrates the longest Christmas Season from September to January of the following year and the festivities even extend to the celebration of the Chinese New Year which will be observed this 2012 on January 23 as the Year of the Dragon.
Many Filipinos with no Chinese blood also honor the occasion and follow the Chinese traditions in welcoming the Lunar New Year. In fact, some are even more fastidious than the Filipino-Chinese in strictly following the Chinese New Year customs and traditions in the hope of attracting good fortune for themselves in the coming year. This is because the Chinese community in the country is generally respected and perceived to be a society of industrious and business-savvy people! The Chinese culture has great influence, if not fused to ours. This is because the
Tsinos (Chinese People) have been in the country long before the Spaniards came, in fact our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal was from Chinese descent! Here are some popular Filipino-Chinese practices during the week-long (some even observe 15-day long) Chinese New Year Celebrations to welcome the 2012 Year of the Dragon with a bang!
1. Clean up - General cleaning of the house is customary before the Lunar New Year arrives. It is believed that this practice will bring good fortune and keep the residents in good health all year round because it will sweep away the bad luck of the preceding year and make it ready to receive the good luck of the succeeding one. However, cleaning materials such as brooms and dust pans must be put away on the first day of the year to avoid the good luck from being swept away! It is also believed that aside from a clean surrounding, everything must be in their proper places to avoid blocking positive energies or attracting negative ones which is why the practice of Feng Shui is incorporated by some. Thus, we notice major house alterations occurring before the Chinese New Year to keep the elements in good harmonious flow and aligned with the stars. Others also repaint their window frames, doors and some parts of the house red to keep away evil spirits.
2. What to wear - Wear something red or any bright color clothes throughout the week long celebration. This is because of the belief that these colors, more particularly red, could scare away evil spirits and bad fortune. New clothes and shoes are also typically worn during the Chinese New Year to symbolize a beginning of a prosperous year with more than enough things to use and wear all year round. A new hair cut also symbolizes a fresh new start.
3. Food - Food plays a very important role in the celebration of the Chinese New Year. The preparation is meticulous, elaborate and bountiful. As customary, the number of dishes to be prepared on the table must be of even numbers to symbolize "double good fortune." On New Year's Eve, families gather for a feast just like in the
Pinoys' celebration of the
Media Noche (New Year's Eve; Midnight). Eating at midnight to be full during the changing of the year means never to go hungry or lack anything the whole year. The food served and even the manner of preparation are all symbolic and meaningful. The "Lucky Foods" are usually homonyms of Chinese characters or words that generally mean positive things such as peace, joy, prosperity, abundance, good health, happiness and the likes. Here are the most popular dishes that are served during the Chinese New Year celebrations and their meanings:
Fish or fowl - Whether fish or fowl it must be served whole because knives, cleavers and other sharp cutting steels are considered unlucky that could sever the family members' good fortune. Using sharp objects during the holiday celebration is considered unlucky that chopping is avoided. The other ingredients if could not be kept whole must be prepared or cut ahead to avoid bad omens. Keeping the fish or fowl uncut also symbolizes wholeness, harmony and unity among family members. The fish, usually Carp, is a typical main course that symbolizes a profitable year ahead. As for the fowl, the Peking Duck is the top choice, served whole with its head and feet. The bird symbolizes fidelity and its red color from deep frying means happiness. The New Year's Eve dinner especially the fish, must not be consumed completely and stored for the night to ensure a spill-over of good fortune throughout the new year. Thus, the Chinese phrase "May there be surpluses every year."
Tikoy (Nian Gao) - Nian Gao is a round, sweet and sticky glutinous rice cake that is a homonym for a "higher year."
The Chinese word 粘 (nián), meaning "sticky", is identical in sound to 年, meaning "year", and the word 糕 (gāo), meaning "cake" is identical in sound to 高, meaning "high". As such, eating nian gao has the symbolism of raising oneself higher in each coming year (年年高升 niánnián gāoshēng). Also known as rice cake. This sticky sweet snack was believed to be an offering to the Kitchen God, with the aim that his mouth will be stuck with the sticky cake, so that he can't badmouth the human's family to the God of all Gods (Yu Huang Da Di). Source Wikipedia.
Round Fruits - Pineapples for wealth; Orange means gold for good fortune; Pomelo for abundance; Melon for family unity; Lychee for close family ties; Longan for good sons; Grapes for fertility and family harmony; Coconut for togetherness; Apple for peace.
Candies - Keep a tray of assorted candies on the tables for the visitors. This is called the "tray of togetherness" in sweet life. It is also believed in the Chinese Mythology and folk religion that the candies could appease and get the favor of the "Kitchen God" who returns to heaven before the New Year to report every household's activity of the previous year to the Jade Emperor, the emperor of the heavens or God of all gods who either rewards or punishes a family based on the Kitchen God's report.
Noodles - Oh, not to forget the noodles for long life. Be careful not to cut the strands 'though for you know what this would mean :)
4. Red Envelopes (Ang-Pau) - Red envelopes inscribed with lucky Chinese characters with gift-money inside are passed on from married couples or the elderly to younger unmarried members of the family usually teenagers and children. However, the Ang-Pau with money is given for good luck and to ward off bad spirits therefore should not be spent but kept inside the wallet or bag for good luck. The amount of money contained in the red envelope usually ends in an even digit more particularly the number 8, to bring good fortune according to Chinese beliefs. It is also traditional to put in brand new notes inside the red envelopes and not to open them in front of the relatives as a sign of courtesy.
5. Chinese Fire Crackers and Fire Works - Fire works and fire crackers are traditional part of the Chinese New Year celebration probably due to a folklore. It was told that a mythical beast named Nian would always come on the first day of the new year to prey on livestock, crops and even children! They would offer food on the doorsteps to appease the beast until the villagers discovered that the beast is afraid of the color red when it ran away from a noisy child in red clothes. Since then on they would wear the color red, hang red lanterns, use fire crackers and other fireworks to chase away Nian and other evil spirits.
The Chinese firecrackers are distinctive because the sound and make are unique. The most commonly used is a long roll or belt that has two rows of adjacent fire crackers on each side all wrapped in red paper. The flick is lit on one end igniting the firecrackers one by one giving out a continuous loud, popping sounds accompanied by a confetti of red papers with each blast!
The firecrackers are usually lit on the streets during the traditional Lion Dance and Dragon Dance.
6. Lucky Charms and amulets - Many Filipinos are also superstitious, so needless to say, some truly believe in charms and amulets for protection and good luck while others just simply carry it with them or place them in their homes as ornaments. Here are some popular Chinese Lucky Charms that are highly saleable especially during the Chinese New Year:
Dragon - Dragon figurines will surely be one of the most popular this coming Lunar New Year because it is after all, the Year of the Dragon! The dragon symbolizes potent and auspicious power. It is believed to have control over water, rainfall, hurricane and floods. Historically, the dragon was also used as the symbol of the Emperor of China to depict his imperial authority and power.
In many other countries, folktales speak of the dragon having all the attributes of the other 11 creatures of the zodiac, this includes the whiskers of the rat, the face and horns of an ox, claws and teeth of a tiger, belly of a rabbit, body of a snake, legs of a horse, the beard of a goat, wit(or brain) of a monkey, crest of a rooster, ears of a dog, the snout of a pig. Source: Wikipedia
Three-legged Money Toad - A red-eyed three-legged Bullfrog sitting on Chinese coins with money on its mouth. It is believed to protect wealth, increase income and drive away bad luck and evil spirits. The Three-Legged Money Toad figurines are displayed in business establishments, office desks and homes.
Mystic Knot - Also referred to as the "endless knot or eternal knot," it symbolizes endless rounds of birth and rebirth, a continuous and uninterrupted flow of love, happiness, prosperity and good health countering setbacks, accidents and misfortunes. The mystic knot is usually hanged in the bedroom window or used as key chains.
Whatever your beliefs, a new year, whether based on the Gregorian or Chinese calendar is always a good time to renew our hopes and dreams for a better life. To revitalize our positive energies geared toward attaining greater heights not only for ourselves but for others as well.
Kung Hei Fat Choi!!!
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