Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is the time of year when friends and family feast in celebration of throwing out the old and welcoming in the new – something we could all do with every now and then.
Most people start getting ready for Chinese New Year a month before. ... Read review
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Advantages: Good preparation will always mean a good year Disadvantages: All the good Chinese take aways are closed at this time of year
Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is the time of year when friends and family feast in celebration of throwing out the old and welcoming in the new – something we could all do with every now and then.
Most people start getting ready for Chinese New Year a month before. It is important to have all bills paid and the house spring-cleaned ready for a fresh start. Start the New Year with the house in a mess and your account ... ...
Traditionally Chinese New Year was a month long party, now it tends to last four or five days. Food is extremely important and before it is eaten it is offered up to the Gods. Food at the feasts can vary, but it normally includes steamed puddings, fried dumplings, seeds, rice balls and sweetened fruit and vegetables. Remember, however, that the ingredients have a symbolic meaning. Jiaozi dumplings, for example, are boiled in water ... more
Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is the time of year when friends and family feast in celebration of throwing out the old and welcoming in the new – something we could all do with every now and then.
Most people start getting ready for Chinese New Year a month before. It is important to have all bills paid and the house spring-cleaned ready for a fresh start. Start the New Year with the house in a mess and your account in the red and you’ve set yourself a pattern for the next twelve months!
Traditionally Chinese New Year was a month long party, now it tends to last four or five days. Food is extremely important and before it is eaten it is offered up to the Gods. Food at the feasts can vary, but it normally includes steamed puddings, fried dumplings, seeds, rice balls and sweetened fruit and vegetables. Remember, however, that the ingredients have a symbolic meaning. Jiaozi dumplings, for example, are boiled in water and served in pairs. They signify two people sleeping together and having many sons! Eggs, as in many cultures, also signify fertility, and lotus seeds wish you many male offspring.
To avoid making a real Chinese New Year party faux pas then read on. If you are looking for a little happiness and all things good in your life, serve up prawns and dried oysters (ho xi). If your finances could do with a serious jolt over the next year make sure you eat lots of fai hai, otherwise known as angel hair seaweed. It is supposed to represent prosperity, but I wouldn’t hold out on winning the lottery after one bowl.
To avoid disasters banish tofu to the back of the fridge. Being white in colour it signifies death and misfortune if it is consumed during the New Year festivities. If you’ve been having a bit of a hard time, however, roll out the bamboo shoots. They basically wish everything well.
Oranges and tangerines are lucky fruits. Oranges and gold have the same pronunciation in Cantonese, so if they are presented as gifts in even numbers over the festival they are destined to bring wealth.
If you are looking for longevity then make sure you include lots of leafy mustard greens in your party plan. Noodles are also a symbol of long life, but it is considered very unlucky to chop up noodle strands.
Make sure you cook up a nice, big, fat fish, head and all. By eating half a fish on New Year’s Eve and saving the remainder to the next day, the Chinese believe you can transfer lots of luck to the next 12 months.
No celebration would be complete without a cake and Chinese New Year is no exception. Called Neen Gow, the cake is made from glutinous rice flour that symbolizes cohesiveness. It also comes scattered with peen tong or brown sugar, which represents the sweetness of life. Make sure your cake rises well and your luck will rise with it.
As preparation is important please keep these notes handy for next year and I am sure all will go well! A bit early I know but here’s eating our way to a prosperous 2002.
Advantages: Clean, safe city which is really alive. Disadvantages: It's a long, long flight.
and school holiday periods can be the most expensive times to visit. As with the flights, check prices frequently as the special offers often change from day to day. During the summer months - May until September, humidity is high and perversely prices are at their highest. I have travelled in October, February and April and find these months offer comfortable temperatures in the mid to upper 70's with just moderate humidty.
Hotel Club uk often have some very reasonable offers with rooms (for one or two persons) ranging from £31 per night (Ibis, North Point May 2006); £38 (Newton, North Point, Feb 2005); although at peak season (August, December, ChineseNewYear) expect to pay up to £90 a night (Newton, North Point, April 2006).
Transport in Hong Kong:
The easiest way from the airport to Central Hong Kong is by the airport express ...
johnalderton 01.06.2006 (02.06.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Hong Kong
