Happy Chinese New Year or Gung Hay Fat Choi

Growing up as a kid, Chinese New Years meant eating a big special meal, receiving lucky red envelopes with money, and driving into Vancouver for dim sum and lion dances. I can still remember going to Chinatown and hanging onto my grandmother's coat so I wouldn't get lost while watching the lions eat the lettuce. I was in awe of the lion dancers and how they could balance on each other to reach the lettuce. They were a far cry from my sisters and I holding a purple blanket pretending we were lion dancers jumping over the firecrackers.

With the hustle and bustle of our lives now, Chinese New Years has become one night where we all sit down together and have a large meal. Gone are the days of trips to Chinatown to see the Lion Dances and spending our lucky money together. But in this one night, it is a reminder of the importance of family and of culture and its traditions.

Happy year of the Ox.