“Kung Hei Fat Choy”

Wishing you good fortune and prosperity into the new year: “Kung Hei Fat Choy”

My favorite part of this holiday is the family coming together and having a feast. The first memory that comes to mind is the smell of incense traveling from the living room and throughout the entire house which is then followed by the sizzling and chopping sounds from the kitchen. I just remember my mom chopping boiled chicken with her giant butcher knife, each portion chopped to perfection. There would be so much food on the table to feed family for days…love leftovers! My ultimate favorite food is the sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves with a pork belly center, I call it the Chinese tamale — if you are sticky rice fanatic, this is a MUST try.

My parents are not the one to “educate” us about the holiday — my siblings and I had to learn by asking questions and observing.

—

The Chinese zodiac plays a huge role with the holiday traditions, this is the year of the Rat (my brother) — I think it’s pretty cool that everyone in my family is a different zodiac sign. Hence, the different personality traits. Did you know that the Dragon is the zodiac that is not a real animal? o_O. Within my family traditions/culture, zodiac signs are contributing factors when it comes to relationships, career path and making money.

How is my fortune this year?