Chinese New Year Exodus

It’s that time of the year again… Chinese New Year is a long celebrated tradition by the Chinese people all over the world.

Although I would consider myself a hybrid American/Chinese/Malaysian, I still observe this grand celebration as a time to celebrate and enjoy reunions with my extended family members and my In-Laws who reside a few hundred miles away from the city.

For those of you who are not acquainted with what Chinese New Year is all about, here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is one of the most important traditional Chinese holidays. It is sometimes called the Lunar New Year, especially by people outside China. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: zhēng yuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival. Chinese New Year’s Eve is known as Chúxī. It literally means “Year-pass Eve”.

Celebrated in areas with large populations of ethnic Chinese, Chinese New Year is considered a major holiday for the Chinese and has had influence on the new year celebrations of its geographic neighbours, as well as cultures with whom the Chinese have had extensive interaction. These include Aboriginal Taiwanese people, Koreans, Mongolians, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Vietnamese, and formerly the Japanese before 1873. In Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and other countries or regions with significant Han Chinese populations, Chinese New Year is also celebrated, and has, to varying degrees, become part of the traditional culture of these countries. In Canada, although Chinese New Year is not an official holiday, many ethnic Chinese hold large celebrations and Canada Post issues New Year’s themed stamps in domestic and international rates.

This celebration is also a festival that many children (and unmarried adults) look forward to as they are able to receive lots of ‘ang pow’ or red packets from married couples or their elders.

Fortunately for me, I’m a married man. (No, the word fortunately is not a typo)…

As for me, I feel that once a year, it is a good occasion for me to GIVE out red packets to my elders for taking good care of me in the past. After all, the law of the universe states that it is blessed to give than it is to receive.

I believe in this principle firmly because this principle is evident in my Internet marketing business. I’ve given lots of content and value while serving many of my loyal customers and hence, they are the ones financing my ang pows today… haha.

Anyway, for those of you who celebrate this joyous occasion, I wish you Gong Xi Fa Chai.

Cheers to a good and prosperous new year.