The Year of the Tiger
By Anya Lu
“Wow, it smells great in here!” My mom walked into the kitchen and took a deep breath in. My grandma was making delicious food like dumplings, soup, rice, and other stuff. It was almost Lunar New Year, and I was very excited. Every year when Lunar New Year rolls around, my sister and I get money, food, and time to spend with family.
There are 12 Chinese zodiac animals that cycle every year. The 12 animals are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig (in that order). It was the Year of the Ox last year, and this year is the Year of the Tiger. According to Chinese traditions, the zodiac year that you were born in is your Chinese zodiac animal. I was born in the Year of the Tiger so that means this year it’s my zodiac year. These different animals sometimes are to represent different qualities or interests that a person might have.
My family celebrates Lunar New Year by eating food, decorating the house, and wearing red clothing. Most of my family lives far away, so we call them to wish them a happy New Year. Also, I receive money in red pouches from my family and relatives.
This year, we headed out to Chinatown in San Francisco on the afternoon of Lunar New Years Eve. I enjoy going to Chinatown because it is always so fun and lively! There are many stores and restaurants there that I like looking around in. My family and I headed into this one store that had a bunch of little stuffed animals and little toys like that. A little stuffed tiger caught my eye, and I immediately wanted to buy it. The store was very crowded but festive, and I could feel the excitement in the air.
After wandering around the store for a bit, we went outside to see if there were any performances or shows going on, and sure enough, there were. I noticed a big stage on the road with a crowd of people around it. The street was blocked off because of all the festivities. My family and I walked over to the stage area and watched what was happening. It was a performance of some kind. There was a Chinese dance going on when we arrived, and we had only caught the tail end of it. Then the MC came out and introduced the next act. It was a kung fu performance that I thought was pretty interesting and fun to watch. My family and I watched a few more performances afterward. There was a lot of dancing and some people playing traditional Chinese instruments.
We were just about to head home when suddenly there were loud drums playing, and a lion dance had started. The lions weaved back and forth on the street, dancing to the beat of the drums. The colorful costumes and loud music made for a very impressive performance. We watched the lions do tricks and flips until the end of the performance. After that, we headed home.
The next day in the evening, we sat around a dinner table eating traditional (sort of) foods like noodles, rice, and vegetables. Then afterwards, my grandma, mom, and dad gave out red envelopes with money in them. The red envelopes, and the “lucky money” inside them, symbolize good fortune and a lucky year ahead. My sister and I said, “新年快乐！” to our grandma, mom and dad. The words mean Happy New Year in Mandarin.
My dad said that, since it was the year of the Tiger, I should get a necklace or bracelet. He said, “We should get you a tiger necklace because it’s your zodiac year.” So my dad bought a tiger necklace for me online.
A week later when my necklace arrived, I was super excited! I got the box from our front porch and rushed inside to open it. The box was maroon colored and with some gold words on it. When I opened the box, it was a small drawstring bag. I picked up the bag and weighed it a bit. It was kind of heavy. I gently pried open the drawstring bag and found a necklace charm. The necklace charm was very beautiful, it was a little golden tiger in a heart. Where was the necklace chain? I did not know so I looked around the box for the necklace chain. I inquired to my dad, “Do you know where the necklace chain is? It only came with the necklace charm.”
He looked around in the box and replied, “I’m not sure where the chain is. I’ll go check the website.” He looked at the website and said, “I think the chain comes separately from the charm. I’ll order the chain now, it should arrive in a week or two.”
Two weeks later, the chain arrived. I opened the box again, and saw the same small drawstring bag. I opened it and the chain was inside! I attached it to the charm, but I did have some trouble since it wasn’t the clasp that I was used to. I eventually figured it out and put on the necklace. I loved it, it was amazing, and it was really special to me.
It was a unique and memorable experience for me. My family traditions are very significant to me because they came from my mom’s hometown. Overall, celebrating my culture and just spending time with my family was fun and enjoyable. The Year of the Tiger is important to my identity because celebrating my culture and being with my family has a significant impact on my life.
