Here we are in 2017!!! How did the future get to be today? Julie had a great idea at our Pizza night-out in November and when looked into it we found that the Chinese New Year, in our time zone, is the date picked for our next get-together: Friday, January 27, 2017.  It is The Year of The Fire Chicken! We will meet at Julie’s home at 7pm wearing Red and bringing Chinese appetizers to share. We will see what sign we fall under, use chop sticks, drink our BYOB out of carried-with-us glasses and generally enjoy this laid back gathering as usual.  Please RSVP to Johnnie Lee Don (775-832-80890 or by e-mail <johnnieleedon1@gmail.com> by the Monday before so our hostess can firm up appetizers.

The Chinese people spend many days preparing for the New Year celebration: think Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter rolled into one month. Some of the customs began as religious ceremonies ,i.e. worshipping heaven with hunted animal meat (reminiscent of old testament sacrifices) and later eating a creamy white rice pudding because that is what a shepherd girl fed Buddha after his Enlightenment. There is end of the year cleaning and decorating of your home from top to bottom to get rid of diseases and the preparation of lots of food for The God of Stove who returns to heaven to report family behaviors of the current year. And you had better hope it was a good report. There are many dishes, each with an auspicious meaning i.e. longevity, reunion, perfection, good luck, health, diligence and satisfaction.  After dinner the children put a red envelope under their pillows waiting for it to contain brand-new money. That would probably bring a lot of satisfaction!