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| (The red envelopes above are called Lì Xì in Vietnamese) |
I usually go home to celebrate Chinese New Year with my family, who are in Franklin, TN. As I write this blog on my laptop in Knoxville, TN, I am extremely homesick. Chinese New Year is such a fun and special day for me. I can picture and smell the special celebration food that my mom cooks every year... and every year I cannot help but sneak in a tiny nibble of something before she presents the food to our ancestors, who are represented through the Buddha Shrine that we have in our 'prayer room' -- Today is a day that I'm usually surrounded by over 30 relatives ranging between the ages of 3 and 78... I already miss those red envelopes filled with money that the "adults" of the family hand out to all of us "children" (yes, I'm proud to say that I get to continue being a 'child' until my career as a teacher kicks off... and all my life, I've tried to prove to everyone that I am just SOOOO GROWN; however, I enjoy being considered the kid in this case:)... Coupled with these red envelopes is the usual "talk"...
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The Stages of The Talk:
(2) The adult slowly hands the envelope to you
(3) You reach for the envelop, grab a hold of it, but you know to never pull back right away... Note that the adult's hands are still grasped onto the envelope. Therefore, the envelope should now physically be in your hand as well as the adult's.
(4) As the envelope stays floating between you and the adult, it is now time for you to open your ears and respond with a "yes ma'am/sir" as the adult lectures you about the following:
(i) Continue to work hard in school in order to build a bright future for yourself
(ii) Be nice and respectful to your elderly
(iii) Try your best to make the right decisions in your life
(iv) Fill in the blank -- Remember, your family is unique... so who knows what unique lessons/morals they'll reveal to you!
(5) After agreeing to be the best person you can be, the adult will release his/her kung-fu grip on the envelope and you may now respectfully thank the adult and walk away... Make sure to not open the envelope in front of the adult -- Obviously, you are more appreciative of "the talk" than how much money the adult decided to give you
(6) Open the envelope in a discrete place and break out into your personal celebration dance! Don't forget that the amount of money you get should never be compared to the amount of love the adult has for you.
(7) Spend your money wisely, especially in this economy... May I suggest you start up a $avings account?
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Chúc Mừng Năm Mới (Happy New Year)
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