Why Chinese New Year?

It has replaced Halloween as my favorite holiday of the year. It has been my favorite since I decided to adopt a daughter from China. Here are the reasons that I love Chinese New Year, and why I think you should celebrate it too.

Chinese New Year (CNY), also known as the Lunar New Year, and Spring Festival, is celebrated just the right amount of time after the Christmas holidays. I've had enough time to chill out, relax, and plan for the next fun event. It doesn't require presents, just red clothes and a haircut. The decorations and rituals are simple and simply beautiful: fresh flowers, red banners, red lanterns, and oranges. It brightens a late January/early February like Christmas lights do December, except better, because at Christmas, it really is the darkest time of the year, and right now we are better able to anticipate spring.

The food is unbelievably good (see previous post), and easy to make. I downloaded traditional Chinese music and spent Sunday morning in my kitchen, in meditation as I made preparations. I felt calm, loving, and hungry when my feast was ready to serve (this is not always the case when preparing a special meal for extended family, am I right?). We finished most of the food, because it was just the right amount, and when we wanted more dumplings, daughter and grandmother headed to the kitchen to make more. That act alone made my day. I swell with pride and love knowing my daughter likes to create in the kitchen with her grandparents. Just that makes me think that everything will be all right, forever.

Also, the crafts are fun. Dragons and animals. This year we made dragon masks and bunny ears (year of the rabbit) at preschool. See our bunny ears in photo above. They can do double-duty at Easter.

The pressure is too much for me on January 1st. By the end of January, I'm ready to move forward in the new year and take seriously some spiritual renewal. Maybe the lunar calendar is more suited to the rhythm of my life.

Energy Shortage -- Learning to Cut Back

When fuel prices soar, we find ways to save money, such as wearing long underwear in the house, driving less, and spending less $ on food. It's the logical process of dealing with the economic downturn.

When our bodies are low on energy, the body economizes by getting sick. A bad cold this month has taught me, or rather reminded me, to slow down and conserve energy. January is a tough month in the Midwest. We just came off the whirlwind of holidays -- shopping, overeating, and celebrating. We feel we must keep going. We must get stuff done! For some reason, perhaps it is our American life, we find it disconcerting to be still, even when there is ANOTHER snow storm, and ANOTHER cold snap of zero degree weather. In our culture, it is hard for us to STOP.

As cliche as this sounds, listen to the body. Yes, I know, the body & mind & spirit together all are experiencing cabin fever. There are remedies for that. But if you can't go to Mexico this year, you'll have to use cheaper remedies. Here are some suggestions...

1) Put some really pumping music in your car... do car chair dancing and singing at the top of your lungs while driving.

2) Dance in the house -- arms overhead! Really go for it! With abandon!

3) Play outside even though it is really, really cold.

For obtaining seasonal balance, I suggest...

1) Read books that you can actually devour. That means entertaining books, not intellectual stuff that makes you smarter.

2) Be crafty. Do a tedious craft you would never want to do in the summer. Something using hot glue. Or perhaps drawing straight lines until you can actually draw a straight line. Repetition is key.

3) If you really need something that is creative, productive, and can be done while seated, write letters to your friends. Write letters to your congress members. Become an armchair activist.

It's all about balance.


FRENCH ONION SOUP
Saute 2-3 large sweet onions in butter & olive oil. Add beef stock.
Serve with grated gruyere cheese on top, and crusty french bread.


HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!
YEAR OF THE RABBIT BEGINS FEBRUARY 3
Shopkeepers in China hang lettuce upside-down at their entrances. When the lion dancers parade down the streets, or hutongs, they climb up to grab the lettuce, ensuring an abundant spring.

A Post on Seasonal Disorders

I had lost my way. I stopped posting on facebook, quit checking email, and even told the preschool co-op that I really do NOT want to be part of a yahoo group. I lost touch with the world on the Internet, only occasionally posting on this blog, and doing it reluctantly. I confess, I am Old School. I prefer to call people on the phone, and I prefer that they call me (on my land-line, please). I'm sorry; I just got so bored with all the trivialities. I got a new iPod so that I could listen to podcasts in the kitchen, and hell if I can figure the damn thing out. I start to relate to "old people" who think computers are just too hard. I'm a slow-paced gal. I read books. I rest. If I'm up in the middle of the night, I worry. I don't get on my computer and do stuff. I don't sew cute clothes until I drop from fatigue.

Then autumn hit. Suddenly. And I, suddenly, went into Winter mode. Laying in bed, doing nothing. I was in shock. My personal problems seemed about a hundred times amplified. Scared, tired, scared. Winter is coming.

If you live here in Minnesota, you know that the coming of winter is very, very scary. We don't go around exhibiting these fears out loud, like, "I am so frightened! Do you know what's coming?! Shut all the doors and batten the hatches! Aghhhh...!!!!!" But deep down inside, that's what we are feeling. We communicate about it by saying, "Boy, it's gettin' cold out," or "Yeah, fall's on it's way," or "Soon, we'll be raking all these damn leaves." And as you know, I am very in touch with myself, and so I, like, FREAK OUT when something disturbs me. And then I get over it.

I'm over it now (hey, only 2 weeks)! Also, I get to go to North Carolina to see my new niece this weekend, and it's hot there. Yay! I watched NewScandCook and learned about fall root vegetables. I bought this crazy-ass turnip at the farmer's market. (Note the pun. If you mention the pun in a comment, I will send you an original artwork made only by me. I promise.)

I have been thinking a lot about you, and how to help you with dinner. My experimentation lately has been rather unsuccessful, and yet, fun! You will be the first to know when I have a recipe that will actually help you in your day-to-day life. I promise.