Lasting rains of spring

When I was a little girl - which seems a very long time ago - my family celebrated the Spring Festival or better known as the Chinese New Year every year. No matter how far we lived apart this was a special occasion which brought us together. This year, that will happen as usual but without me.

I never thought that one day I would not be able to stay together with my family during this special holiday. However, life is changeable. I can still remember clearly what we had for dinner on that day last year. It was dumpling with shrimp mixed with leek and egg in it. That is the most traditional dumpling.

There is always snow at the beginning of spring but the gentle rains wash it away. It is like a cleansing of the earth. As a family we used to watch TV programs which showed the festivities leading up to midnight. There is a special copper bell in the city of Beijing which is struck at midnight. Then, we know that the New Year has begun. Many people go outside and light firecrackers which bath the skies with brilliant hues. Everyone changes into their new clothes. We also have a tradition of putting signs on the two sides of the door which convey luck and prosperity to the family. Having everything new marks the exact beginning of the new year (according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar).

Although the initial legend has blurred, we still keep the customs. People stay up till very late in the night. Since I am on the other side of the Date Line, time is 12 hours behind. When my family celebrates the festival at midnight, I am awake in the middle of the day. Thanks to technological development, my family can still keep in touch on the Internet. The celebrations this year will be a combination of both modern and archaic heritage which will start another chapter of my memory book.