It's the Year of the Tiger

Break out the red envelopes, oranges, red banners, new clothes, dragons, lions ... and don't forget your Tigger doll, since it's the Year of the Tigger ... um, I mean, Tiger.

We were invited to a Chinese New Year celebration in Everett tonight. Most of the families who attended were also adoptive parents (some were neighbors and friends). The potluck meal consisted of some delicious Chinese cuisine and one Alfy's pizza. The hosts also provided some entertainment for the kids ... decorating a dragon, story time (led by a neighboring mom from up the road in Granite Falls), firecrackers (actually, it was bubble wrap which the kids stomped on), and a dragon piñata. Our kids were tentative about getting involved in the activities, which was fine with me. The crowd got pretty riled up around the piñata. Every time even the smallest bit of candy dropped to the floor, there was an immediate swarm of rugrats diving forward, elbowing and shoving one another to get their mitts on the sugary morsel.

We have a new year celebration of sorts three times annually in the Onken household. The first is when the liturgical year begins the First Sunday of Advent, usually at the end of November of beginning of December. Then comes the civil New Year on January 1. And when the second new moon after the winter solstice arrives (usually in early to mid-February), we get to celebrate Chinese New Year.

So, "Happy New Year!"

"Congratulations and be prosperous!"

Or, as they variously say it in China:

Xīn nián kuài lè!

Guò nián hǎo!

Gōng xǐ fā cái!

Gong hay fat choy!

Suì suì píng ān!

Nián nián yǒu yú!