Chinese New Year festivities are just as dynamic and spirited and are a traditional part of ancient Chinese culture. Bring Chinese New Year joy into the lives of your friends and family with time-honored cooking, colorful decorations and activities for everyone.
Get colorful!
Red and gold are traditional symbols of luck and prosperity. Red also frightens away evil spirits and keeps them from creeping into the New Year . Nian is the New Year monster known in China for terrorizing children around the new moon and is easily frightened by loud music and bright colors. The Chinese use dancing, firecrackers and red costuming to ring in the New Year , and keep out Nian.
Decorate with traditional colors and themes by stacking red plates and cups at one end of a buffet table and allowing guests to serve themselves from the variety of entr'es laid out before them. For added flare, dust gold confetti over a black tablecloth. Wrap chopsticks in a red napkin and tie them together with shimmering gold ribbon. Grab your wok from the kitchen, fill it with the napkin sets and place it at the other end of your buffet. If your guests -- or any children in the group -- don't know how to use chopsticks, see below for tips on teaching them how! Family-style dining is a convenient way to make sure your guests enjoy this feasting experience together.
Replace ordinary party gift bags with traditional red couplets. Your guests will love these small red envelopes which are usually inscribed in black with one of four Chinese characters signifying wealth prosperity abundance and long life. It is customary in China to give gifts in monetary form to denote paying off credit or debt. You can also hang the couplets around your house as decoration and to ward off evil spirits.
Peonies symbolize love, affection and beauty and are known in China as ?Flowers of Riches and Honor.? Float them in glass bowls or sprinkle them across your buffet table. According to the Chinese, if a peach blossom blooms during the New Year celebration it is a sure sign of future good fortune. Try stringing a flower garland to ornament your mantels or doorways.
Adorn your ceilings with red and black balloons tied with long gold ribbons. Line your walkway with traditional Chinese lanterns to draw light and luck -- along with your friends and family -- straight into your home.
Get hungry!
Make your buffet sparkle with an assortment of entr'es. Group unique dishes, like the Firecracker Shrimp, with old favorites, like Orange Flavored Chicken and Broccoli with Beef. Quantities can be prepared for gatherings of any size -- wokked fresh and ready when you are. Serve each dish large serving bowls on your lavish buffet table.
Get festive!
When your guests arrive, encourage them to take off their shoes and walk softly into your home. Walking tenderly invites a smooth transition into the New Year . While it's tradition to start any New Year on a clean slate, brooms and dustpans must be stored out of sight before New Year ?s Day to prevent good fortune from being swept away. Fill your home with loved ones, laughter and light. Enjoy the sweet smell of peach blossoms, the company of close friends . Kung Hay Fat Choy is Chinese for Happy New Year !
Teach Your Friends to Use Chopsticks
First: The sticks are attached, but sectioned up the middle. Simply pull each end away from the other. Don't twist them apart or try a fancy way of snapping them; you wouldn't want a few splinters to hinder your dining experience! Once separated, you can rub the sticks together to smooth any rough edges. Step 1) The Base Stick: Place one stick so that it is cradled between the base of your thumb and forefinger. Hold it in place with the tip of your middle finger, as though you were holding a pencil.
Step 2) The Pivot Stick: Position the next chopstick so that it is pinned against the side of your index finger by the end of your thumb. Make sure the ends of the two sticks line up.
Step 3) The Pick-Up: Holding the base chopstick firmly in place, place a small amount of pressure on the Pivot Stick using the tip of your thumb as its base and your index finger to entice movement. The chopsticks should move like a pair of tweezers with the end of the Pivot Stick moving toward the end of the Base Stick. Slowly try to pick up a big piece of Orange Flavored Chicken, and then go for a small bite of your Kung Pao Chicken. Once you're a pro, try for a single grain of rice!
For many of the 92 million adult singles in the U.S., the dawn of the New Year is accompanied by resolutions to get back into the dating game and find a mate. Yet according to Mary Vallone, President of Highlife Adventures, an upscale social club for singles in Chicago and Indianapolis, people are often jaded ? if not downright cynical ? about dating. "Everyone has horror stories about dates gone bad, but most negative experiences occur because people are looking for dates in the wrong places," she says. "With a bit of direction and a dose of common sense, having a rich and rewarding social life is almost guaranteed." Here are some tips for dating singles for the new year.
1. Indulge Your Passions
If you have a hobby or a pastime you enjoy, get together with others who share your interests. "You're much more likely to meet compatible people if you already have something in common," notes Vallone. "Not only will there be fewer uncomfortable silences, but your personality will shine when you share your enthusiasm and experiences."
2. Try Something New
If you're the type of person who is always up for an outdoor adventure, expand your horizons by joining a group to go kayaking, caving, or parasailing. "We schedule over 65 activities each month at Highlife Adventures, which allows our members to dip their toes in the waters of new experiences," says Vallone. "Those who enjoy culture can go to the symphony, while those who revel in the nightlife can opt for a moonlight party cruise."
3. The More, the Merrier
Whether your goal is to simply expand your social network or to meet Mr. or Ms. Right, traditional dating won't get you there. Instead, Vallone advises that you opt for group activities comprised solely of singles. "Today, people don't have the time for sequential one-on-one dating," she says. "Our recipe for success is to provide unique, fun events where singles can let their guard down and meet many people with whom they have something in common."
4. Ensure Your Safety
"Many singles have had perilous experiences on first dates," notes Vallone. "Unfortunately, you can't automatically trust people who you meet online, in a bar, or even through friends." This is one reason why Highlife Adventures prescreens potential members in person and ensures that a company representative attends each event. Vallone advises singles who are on their own to meet your date in a public place, to let a friend know where you'll be, and not to divulge too much personal information. "On a first date, the person you're out with is essentially a stranger," she says. "You need to be careful and always follow your instincts."
5. Put Down the Mouse
While online dating has its appeal, Vallone says that it's no substitute for personal interaction. "It's time to put down the mouse and get out of the house," she says emphatically. "If you've resolved to meet new people, you need to do it face-to-face."
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