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
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 |
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.
