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• Aberdeen 2009 Lunar New Year: Every year arround Christmass I get lots of visitors looking at the photo I took of the Christmas Tree, in Aberdeen Hong Kong in 2004 (I am convinced they were looking for a Christmass tree in Aberdeen, Scotland but that's another story). I think it's time to post a photo of the Chinese New Year decorations in Aberdeen, HK. Inspiring aren't they !!
• HK Bakery Chinese New year 2009: Seasonal decorations - This year it was a case of quick change - Down with the Christmass decorations and up with the chinese new year ones !!
• Chinese Aladins Cave: There is a wee shop in Aberdeen that for most of year sells cheap odds and sods like mobile phone cases but from end of october untill the Chinese New year it is transformed into a veritable Aladins Cave - An emporium of festive decorations!! And as you can see the Chinese new year is associated with red - the color of good fortune
• Chinese New Year Decorations: until the following year chinese door decorations stay up until replaced next year (unless they either fall off). Personally I am convinced that they are left up to give a visual cue to husbands returning from the pub as to whether they got off the lift on the right floor (works for me every time!!) This composite picture shows (top) last years decoration before I replaced it (bottom ) with this year's.Fortunately our neighbour has decided not to compete this year (Their Halowen decorations win hands down!!)
• Gift Packing @ Park'n'Shop: Just changed the wrapping paper from a Christmass motif to a Chinese New Year motif; The contents are similar eg biscuits , sweets, booze, and seasons foods. On new years day when traditional families gather, People could be seen queuing at bus stops and jumped in and out of taxis with bugs bulging with red wrapped boxed gifts. This year I also noticed that there seemed to be a roaring trade in upmarket red decorative lacqued/plastic boxes into which shoppers were putting there own mix of savories etc. A Singaporean girl in the office brought in some fine little homemade tartlets in one on last day before holiday started . They were YUMMY!!
• Upside Down Fu: In addition to the annual decorations we have an "upside down Fu" hanging on our door. These are frequently written on the paper squares, which can be pasted normally or upside down. In Chinese the "reversed fu" sound like "fu dao le" which is a verbal/visual pun that implies "good fortune has arrived". Thus, the paper squares represent the "arrival" of spring and the "coming" of prosperous year. It is worth noting that in addition to the upside down Fu we also have a Mazuzah on our door propably the only one in Ap lei Chau. (Jewish tradition to ward of the Angel of Death)
• Sun Bleached Firecracker: A proof statement that "good luck" decorations may not get taken down: This plastic firecracker decoration was given to us by some visitors from mainland (the sound of firecrackers is supposed to scare of evil spirits and demons etc): It's been up so long that the sun has totally bleached out the red color and the plastic firecrackers have becoe so brittle that they have a tendency to shatter if you touch them.
• Super Cumquats: The Office Christmas Tree was taken down and replaced by this decorative cumquat/mandarin tree. Some time next week there will be a barbeque to kick off the new year with a suckling pig etc and the fruit will be stripped down and eaten by colleagues. Unfortuately many of these trees (and those at christmass) come from the mainland and are blamed for the infestation of fire ants we have in Hong Kong
• Lobby Wishing Tree: The Estate Management team in South Horizons is very good at seasonally dressing the public areas of the estate: Unfortunately because Chinese New year is so early this year the Lobby "trees" are a bit bare since the pink blossoms have not opened yet. It's normally a glorious display (frankly more impressive than the Christmas trees ) The red packets on the tree symbolize (wishes for) good luck/wealth and fortune for new year.
• Selection Red and Gold Pockets in HK: It is traditional to give small red pockets containing money to children (and this includes anyone who isn't married !!) at New Year (unless you or recipient has had a death in family in last 29 days). A couple of years ago the HK government reintroduced 10$ Notes (smallest denonination) because of comments that the practice was "expensive". It may reflect the current economic downturn but lots of companies used to give away packets of envelopes. This year I got very few .The dairy was giving them away taped to cartons of milk
• Chinese Drummer Boy: We overlook a primary/junior school and on New Years Day the pupils put on a show for the parents: There were 4 rather excellent drummers - I never had music lessons like this!!
• Chinese Lion Dance to welcome in The new year: Must have cultural Studies or equivalent at the school - If you look closely there are two kids in "the lion" like the front and back of a stage horse. It's actually quite difficult to do a lion dance and these kids and the othe 3 pairs were quite good. They take their hertitage seriously here!