Chinese New Year

CHINESE NEW YEAR

Over three years I worked off and on at a Chinese restaurant in Southern, Maine called, Golden Palace. Still to this day I believe this is the best Chinese food that I have ever had. The environment is unbelievably clean and the employees are always happy and friendly. The first year I worked at Golden Palace, it was a different atmosphere. I felt as though I was the minority. Which I was. It was difficult at times because the cooks would try and tell me something that they needed or I should do and they had a hard time speaking English. Luckily the owner, Andy Lee and all of the employees that worked on the floor could speak English. This helped the transition of feeling like I belong. Roughly five to six months went by and I was told I needed to attend the Chinese New Year. This was a party that the employees and employer would put on in the restaurant one night to celebrate by eating different foods and drinks. It was kind of a thank you in a way that Andy Lee wanted his employees to attend so he could wine and dine us! After this experience I have always been interested in the Chinese culture. Especially the Chinese New Year. This is one of the most important holidays in the Chinese culture.

These packets were always given to us on the Chinese New year with money in them. We were always told to keep the packet and not look in it for good luck.

If you aren’t familiar with the Chinese New Year let me show you!

Clothing-
Most people wear the color red, to keep away any sort of evil.
If not red they wear brand new clothing from head to toe celebrating a new year.

A.K.A. Lunar New Year

WHY?
The first day of the first lunar month their festival begins.This celebration takes place for fifteen days….


Animal
Branch
Dates
鼠 Rat
子 Zi

February 19, 1996
February 7, 2008
牛 Ox
丑 Chou
February 7, 1997
January 26, 2009
虎 Tiger
寅 Yin
January 28, 1998
February 14, 2010
兔 Rabbit
卯 Mao
February 16, 1999
February 3, 2011
龍 Dragon
辰 Chen
February 5, 2000
January 23, 2012
蛇 Snake
巳 Si
January 24, 2001
February 10, 2013
馬 Horse
午 Wu
February 12, 2002
January 31, 2014
羊 Sheep
未 Wei
February 1, 2003
February 19, 2015
猴 Monkey
申 Shen
January 22, 2004
February 8, 2016
雞 Rooster
酉 You
February 9, 2005
January 28, 2017
狗 Dog
戌 Xu
January 29, 2006
February 16, 2018
豬 Pig
亥 Hai
February 18, 2007
February 5, 2019