Chinese New Year!
It’s more exciting to me than the western calendar New Year. I love the ceremony of it. The ritual. Each year I trek to Chinatown at the Northend of Los Angeles’ downtown, car dives under the two dragons dancing with pearl gateway (pictured above) and I’m thrust onto the main drag – Broadway.
It was one of those perfect LA days. Sunny, breezy, not too hot and not too cool. There were tons of people on the streets already prepping for their New Year. Classical Chinese music blared from a street performer’s amp blending the modern with the traditional.
I always head straight to Wing Ha Hing Gifts & Arts on 811 N. Broadway. Angie and Tracy are quick with a smile and helpful as always. If you’re a client you may know them already and if you don’t they’re worth a trip to Chinatown. The shop is bustling as I grab a basket and make my way to the things I need.
Dried fruits and sweets, incense, red New Year’s candles, Ox statuary, red envelopes, new ‘Chinese coin’ plant, firecrackers, paper money and an 8 coin talisman later I hugged Angie goodbye. Next stop TS Emporium a few doors away where I picked up some traditional food items for the altar. Then the fabulous but oh-so-tempting bakery.
Not only do they have moon pies (pictured above), which are a traditional New Year’s item, they have all sorts of pastries filled with all sorts of crazy yummy things - red bean paste, lotus, sesame seed, coconut and the delicacy I gobbled down, a Chinese donut (Shhh, don’t tell my nutritionist).
On the way back to my home I stopped at the Whole Foods for the remaining items - flowers, 9 different prepared dishes (all so easily accessible at the deli bar even the fish I needed) and 9 oranges. I’d already purchased fresh fruits at the Farmer’s Market in the morning.
Sorting out the items at home is fun for me. I take this evening as though I’m preparing for a special guest to arrive. I lay out one of the family tablecloths that’s been handed down to me. I use my Grandma’s dishes for some items. I end up moving things to and fro until they feel just right. Everything has a purpose. Everything has it’s place. By 10:30pm my home is set. Ready for the changing of the year. Here’s what the final altar/offering table looked like (it’s kinda like setting out milk and cookies for Santa).
At 11pm (a powerful time to do any Feng Shui cures or remedies because it’s the strongest YIN time of the day) I begin with offering incense and chanting. Weeee! The ritual has begun.