Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Chinese New Year Memories and Plans

Jasmine was asking me yesterday when we were in Starbucks, “Mommy, what was your Chinese new year like when you were my age? And, if I ask about Grandpa being with you at the time, please do not cry, all right?”
I told her I would not cry, as I LOVE to talk about times when Grandpa was with us.  He cooked the best Chinese food for New Year’s Eve, usually when Grandma and I would take a shower and change into our new year clothes on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve. 
“Didn’t you need to help to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner?”  she asked.
No, actually we did not have to.  Grandpa just enjoyed cooking, which is like your daddy.  But your grandpa liked to do everything himself.
“What did he cook for you?” 

He cooked fish, chicken, hotpot and lots of tasty food.  Grandma and I would get to watch TV after our showers, and we would wash clothes and clean the apartment.  It was the best thing to do -  just relax, eat and watch TV like you girls do on the weekend.  Grandpa did watch the Chinese New Year TV Gala with us after dinner.  Oh, he would do the fireworks right before New Year’s Eve dinner and after midnight. But he napped during the TV program, I guess he was tired.  On new year’s day, he would get up first, just after another round of fireworks. He would cook new year’s breakfast for us including a new year’s cake, ginger sugar tea and rice krispies.  It was like room service, we did not even have to get up to have breakfast!   Hongbao was always exciting.  But being taken care of, shown by each delicious meal made with love and joy is the most impressive memory.    I remember once, soon after breakfast while we were watching TV in bed, we were called to have lunch.  Of course, there were a lot of different varieties of food like the German Krispy Pork. Eating around the hotpot was always the best time for my family.  Ever since being a little child, spicy hot spot is my favorite.  Grandpa never complained. He cooked for us and enjoyed eating himself as well as watching us eat! J 
Lea as a teen & her dad 
“So grandpa was like daddy, sounds like he was a great chef.”     
 Yes. And, New Year’s here in the States will be celebrating like what we did in China – get together with friends or as a family and have at least one big MEAL.  On the menu, daddy has already written down: baked salmon, roast chicken, steamed clam, fried chicken wings, double-fried pork and hot pot. 
“So you are lucky to always have great cooks, Mom.  We are lucky too to have daddy.” 

 Yes honey, we should always appreciate what we have and enjoy it.  So we won’t regret things one day, when they are no longer with us. We should keep our memories vivid and sweet.  No tears at all.  This is the New Year spirit – always appreciate and enjoy life.