SPONSORED POST: CeCe Yan of Pinnacle Residential Properties was born and raised in Beijing, China. She wishes Wellesley a very happy Chinese New Year.
Chinese New Year has arrived and marks—as every 12 years—the beginning of a Tiger Year. The Chinese calendar, similar to many other calendars around the world, is based on lunar and solar cycles. This means that on the Gregorian calendar, the celebration falls on a different date each year, but always in January or February. Unlike the western New Year, Chinese New Year celebrations last for multiple weeks, with each day having a different meaning.
The celebration starts with New Year’s Eve, which is regarded as the most important evening. Close family members gather to welcome the New Year together, prepare dumplings for New Year’s day and, just like at Times Square, count down the seconds to midnight. As for dinner, fish is a crucial component of every New Year’s eve feast. It is also typically on New Year’s eve that “hongbao”—little red envelopes containing money—are gifted from the older to the younger generation.
A family affair
Traditionally, young families would celebrate New Years eve and the first day of the New Year with the husband’s family and the second day of the year with the wife’s family. However, today, many couples have adopted an alternating system where the New Year is celebrated with the husband’s parents one year, and with the wife’s parents the next year.
During the following three days people meet and celebrate with extended family and friends. The next key date is the fifth day of the New Year. On that day, people can take up work again, including cleaning the house for the first time in the New Year.
After two weeks of festivities, the fifteenth day concludes Chinese New Year. It coincides with the first full moon of the New Year and is also known as day of the lanterns. On that day, families get together once more for dinner and to enjoy “tangyuan”—little glutinous rice balls in answeet soup for dessert. In the evening there are lantern parades all across towns and cities.
While this is Chinese New Year as experienced by most Chinese in the northern part of the country, not everybody celebrates the same way. Chinese New Year is observed by billions of people across different countries and cultures and each region may have adopted variations of these traditions.
So what does a Tiger year mean for the world? Well, first, if you were born during a Tiger year, you are considered lucky. While each sign has its own qualities, tigers are thought to be brave, generous, competent, and natural leaders. But a Tiger year has some impact beyond its own sign. It is believed to be an especially lucky year because it means power, strength, and courage.
Chinese New Year is very much like Christmas, Hanukkah or many other festivals across the world in the sense that it is a time of celebration and reunion with the loved ones in our lives. It is also a time of reflection and being grateful for your family, friends and ancestors. This is a time dedicated to strengthening bonds, showing love and reinforcing relationships.
In that spirit, Happy Tiger Year!
More from Cece
Working at Pinnacle Residential is an absolutely fantastic experience. The company is made up of some of the most knowledgeable, competent and kind people I have ever had the privilege to work with. You’ll also find a strong work ethic, an emphasis on partnership and a complete focus on client satisfaction. One of the first directives I received from Pinnacle was that I needed to always protect the client. I’d be more than happy to advise you with all your real estate needs.
Call or WeChat CeCe Yan at 781-600-5999
在Pinnacle学到的第一件事情就是，我们要随时随地“保护”我们的客户，尤其是在
我们客户对当地规章以及法律并不足够了解的时候。每一位Pinnacle人都完全把客
户的利益放在自己之前。凭借高尚的职业道德以及对Wellesley以及波士顿西郊市
场数十年的深入了解，我相信我们一定会陪伴您一起，找到最适合您的家。我们同
时为想要上市售卖的房屋提供免费市场分析，请您微信或电话随时联系我们。
微信：ceceyan8 或者781-600-5999
CeCe Yan was born and raised in Beijing, China. She finished her undergraduate degree in Beijing and came to New York City to continue her education. She obtained her MBA, with a concentration in Marketing and Finance, at Pace University.
