HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 2020 is the year of the RAT…which is my year!!! This year we rang in the NEW YEAR very quietly. On Thursday and Friday I worked at the school and when I got home…I just clean up the house as much as possible. Saturday ….all morning we just ran errands and that night …I had my sister and some of my nieces came over to eat. We grilled and rolled spring roll. Ever since my parents passed away …..our New Years has been very very low key. We usually just go down to NOLA east to the fair (hoi cho). But this year I honestly dont think we will go down there with all the crime and car break-ins.
Some of our TRADITIONS of Chinese New Year
The Red or Gold Envelope containing money given to children , family members, friends and employees as a SYMBOL of GOOD LUCK!!! I usually try to get ALL BRAND NEW dollar BILLS!! I love the $2.00 bills but THEY are so hard to come by.
This year I discovered AMAZON sells the envelope for a lot cheaper than the asian market and they have MORE varieties!! I got some really cute ones with the RAT on them 😉

Envelope from Amazon

OUR RED and GOLD ENVELOPE
Banh Tet (banh chung) is in a shape of a square or log. It has a pork filling with mung beans and glutinous rice outside. Always wrapped with banana leaves.

Banh Tet

Banh Tet
HERE IS A LITTLE ABOUT THE RAT ZODIAC!!!
2020 is a year of new beginnings for the Chinese dog zodiac sign. The year of the rat forecasts suggest that your flexible and open mind will make your life much easier. Good luck and prosperity will follow you in your job. Keep a lookout for opportunities and make the most out of it.
RAT———–Ranking the first in the Chinese zodiac, rat represents wisdom. Personality traits for the people born in the year of the Rat are intelligent, charming, quick-witted, practical, ambitious, and good at economizing as well as social activities. The weaknesses are that the Rats are likely to be timid, stubborn, wordy, greedy, devious, too eager for power and love to gossip.
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Here is some lucky plant that are used for the NEW Year:
Chrysanthemums
Marigold
Apricot Blossom
Flamingo Lily

Trader Joe had TET flowers
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There are many TET superstition that people follow:
NO SWEEPING
NO TAKING OUT GARBAGE
NOT SPLASH WATER
NO HAIR WASHING
NO CLOTHES WASHING
NO LENDING MONEY OR BORROWING
No POUTING
NO CRYING