Chinese New Year is just a few days away. Had just finished cleaning up the house, put up clean curtains etc, bought some cookies, dress up my plants with some bling bling, got new clothes for everyone and still felt like I had missed something. In actual fact, for those who are superstitious, there are more things to prepare.
I grow up with a mom who constantly remind my grandma (her mom) what is superstitious and what is religious and certain things are a waste of money and time. Grandma however, would never listen and continue with what she was taught or should I say, traditions brought down from generations to generations.
Every year grandma would buy new sets of bowls, plates, spoons and chopsticks to be used on the eve during reunion dinner. That's why we have lots and lots of it. A new broom is a must too. There are certain food that is compulsory on eve's reunion dinner. Mom would complain of the excessive food as there were only four of us and we don't eat so much and mom don't really like having left overs.
After I got married, it is compulsory to have the reunion dinner with my in-laws. My mother-in-law have her superstitious too like not to used anything sharp like knife or scissors on the first day of Chinese New Year. So after a hard days work, cooking for so many of us on the eve, after we had clean up, she would start cutting food, preparing for tomorrow's three meals because she don't want to use the knife on the first day of Chinese New Year. There are certain things that should not be cut before cooking but she would not listen. She had to tired herself and make sure she cuts everything before the clock turn 12 midnight. This is more scary then horror movies.
For most Chinese, they believe that they should not sweep the floor on the first day of Chinese New Year for fear one would swept away all the luck of that year. I remembered there was one year when mom found the floor dirty on the first day and she went and mop the floor, granny was upset. Mom jokingly told grandma that she didn't sweep the floor, technically mopping is not sweeping.
Well, I guess since my mom's generation, most of us had broke the superstitious rule. I, too don't believe in all these but in order to respect my elders, it is best I kept all this inside since it is very hard to change something that they thought were good for them or the right thing to do and had been practicing for years.
Thanks for reading and Happy Chinese New Year to all who celebrates. Are you superstitious too?
January 15, 2012
5 comments:
I used to get irritated with all the superstitious things because some of them can be really ridiculous. But the older I get, I come to appreciate them... Not because I believe them but because I tried to find reasons why those superstitions are found. Besides, superstitions made traditions. When supersititons are eliminated, the traditions are also gone.. Now, I follow the superstitious things just for fun, for the sake of keeping the tradition alive.... Gong Xi Fa Cai to you Aries... May your new year be happy and bright..
I used to be terrified and feared the things/bad stuff that will happen to me if I did not follow one of those superstitious things... until I got baptised and became a Christian. Since then, none of these superstitious things matters and I'm a happier person really, there's no need to be bound by beliefs brought down by generations without logic and purpose. Of course, if someone can explain to me why we should do / not do such things, then by all means, I will listen but if they tell me 'because all the while it's been like that' or 'just do it, don't ask so much' then nope, not going to listen...
Religion and food practices observed by people are deeply related to each other. Different foods consumed help you to understand a religion, its practices and ideologies. Food thus plays a very important part in the religious functions and rituals of a religion. In Christianity the regulations governing food and drink differ among the various faiths in the religion, including Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant.
Since the patriarch of our family is Chinese, yes superstitions are usually heard and used to be followed, especially during New Year and Chinese New Year. 4th generations in the family still practice some of them. But I would like to consider it as following a tradition rather than a superstition.
And we still read our Chinese Horoscopes. :D
Happy Chinese New Year to you and your whole family!
Hi! thanks for visiting and thank to the wishes
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