Today is Chinese New Year…..The Year of the Snake.
Do you think Clay had Chinese food on Saturday evening?
Chinese New Year is a holiday that celebrates the beginning of a new year according to the lunar calendar. It is considered to be one of the most important holidays for Chinese families.
The holiday is celebrated with big family gatherings, gift giving, the eating of symbolic foods and displays of festive decorations. All of these traditions are focused on bringing good luck for the New Year and celebrating the coming of Spring.
On the eve of the Chinese New Year it is customary to visit with relatives and partake in a large dinner where a number of specific foods are served.
Grace Young wrote a book titled The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen. She says:
“Typically families do eight or nine dishes because they are lucky numbers. The Chinese word for eight is baat [in Cantonese], which rhymes with faat, the word for prosperity.”The word for nine means “long-lasting.”
A lot of the foods are very symbolic. Some popular foods include: dumplings (because they look like golden nuggets), oranges (because they are perfectly round, symbolizing completeness and wholeness), and long noodles (served to symbolize long life).
Sticky rice cakes and sweets are also served and are tied to a story about the Kitchen God– a Santa Claus-like figure who reports to the Jade Emperor in heaven on whether families have been good or bad through the course of the year. According to legend, when families serve the Kitchen God sticky, delicious foods, his mouth gets stuck together and therefore he cannot report any bad things about the family to the Jade Emperor.
Well, I am getting hungry!!
It is a traditional practice for adults to give children little red envelopes–hong bao in Mandarin or lai-see in Cantonese–filled with money in order to symbolize wealth and prosperity for the coming year.
Chinese New Year is filled with so many traditions. It’s always interesting to learn about the traditions of other cultures. My grand kids receive red envelopes each year!
We don’t know what Clay Aiken is doing this year for Chinese New Year, however, since Chinese New Year lasts 15 days, it is easy to see that Clay has been busy in years previous to 2013. Let’s take a look!
2003 - Top 32 - American Idol
2004- Hosting ET with Kelly Clarkson
2005 - Guest actor on Scrubs
2007 - Guest on Jimmy Kimmel - Check out the shirts
2008- Spamalot on Broadway
2011 - Tried & True Tour
2012 - Carnegie Hall
I can’t wait to add more to this list in a few years!!
Do you ever celebrate Chinese New Year?
I don’t celebrate the Chinese New Year but all the traditions sound wonderful. Hope we hear new news from Clay soon.
Thanks for the info about the Chinese New Year, was very interesting to know, also, love the pics of Clay. Thanks Musicfan xox.
I don't celebrate the Chinese New Year [I celebrate the Jewish New Year], but it was very interesting to learn all the intricacies and fun encompassed in the Chinese New Year.
The "Pics Thru the Years" are wonderful, musicfan. It's always such a joy to mentally relive the past rollercoaster ride we've all been on. What a joy these years have been! What would our lives have been like without Clay in it? I can't imagine.
Since Clay was born in 1978 next year will be his year. they go in 12 year cycles.Best of luck always to Clay!
i dont selabrate chinise new year year of the snake but all the tradidtions sound interesting to lean and know about i celabrate the americian new year in the usa and i do love the pics of clay thanks music fan what wold mylife be with out clay aiken i cant imagine
I do not celebrate chinese new year, but thanks for the info.
No, I do not celebrate Chinese New Year. But, their food is delicious. Who knows, maybe Clay had him some Chinese dinner last night. I know he likes Chinese food. I like all the pics you have posted. He sure looks cute in that picture with Kelly.