Chinese New Year

Lighting firecrackers to ward off evil spirits.

Our front door, decorated in the Chinese fashion.

The morning after . . . one of dozens of piles in the compound from spent firecrackers/fireworks.

Silk flowers on display in outdoor shopping plaza

Monday was Chinese New Year. The Year of the Rabbit has passed and now we are in the Year of the Dragon. My Chinese teacher explained that not every birthday is celebrated in China, but the 12th birthday is. The zodiac is a circle and when a year is celebrated, that sign is at the top of the circle. When you are at the top, it is easy to fall down, so you need to be careful when your year comes around. One way to have good luck in your year is to wear red everyday. Some Chinese mothers make this easy by buying red underwear for their 12 year old children. Lucky for my Rabbit child I didn't learn about this until the Year of the Dragon, right? But I still have time to prepare for the Year of the Snake next year! (JUST KIDDING!!!!!)

Anyway, Chinese New Year is a feast for the senses. Lots of noise, decorations and foods are associated with the holiday. I hope these photos I took to give you a better idea.

Some of the dozens of varieties of lanterns at Yu Yuan Gardens.

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One of the many dragons on display at Yu Yuan Gardens.