Red For More Dragon Luck This Chinese New Year

By Hazlinda Hamzah PETALING JAYA (Malaysia), Jan 17 (Bernama) -- Red lanterns of various sizes and shapes are making their way into homes, shopping complexes and many offices in the Klang Valley. It is an indication that Malaysians are getting ready to usher another major celebration in the country, the Chinese New Year (CNY) or Gong Xi Fa Chai. This year of the Water Dragon, the fifth of the 12 Chinese animal zodiac signs, makes its auspicious entry on Jan 23. The celestial dragon is the ultimate symbol signifying success and happiness and the Chinese believe the new year will bring good luck to those born in the year. Dragon year individuals are believed to be mostly enterprising, artistic, innovative, powerful, lucky, passionate and intuitive. On the negative side, they can be conceited and quick-tempered. And as the superstition reminds, not only red lanterns adorn homes but red should be the life theme right from the eve of the New Year until Chap Goh Mei, a period of 15 days, to enhance one’s good luck for the year. Thus, it is of no surprise that these lanterns and many traditional embellishment items are available only in red. USE RED TO TAP MORE DRAGON LUCK In the old days, the lanterns were made of thin red paper. Then came the thicker red paper lanterns, shaped either spherically or slightly elongated and narrow at the lower end. Today, there are lanterns made of floral cloth or brocade-like textured velvet, but they still come in red. Susan Lim (picture), the co-owner of a crafts shop in SS14, Subang Jaya recently shared with Bernama some highlights of the lantern and its significance. "Putting up lanterns on the porch has been a tradition since the olden days. I have been selling them for many years. Many treat these lanterns as ornaments to decorate their homes every Lunar New Year,” “This new red velvet lantern looks great. You can buy a pair for about RM78. The ordinary ones come in various sizes; medium and large and they are priced slightly at over RM30 a pair, for better quality ones. According to Lim, the sales for CNY accessories -- including the artificial ‘Mei Hua’ or plum blossoms mostly in red and pink, red satin ribbons and lanterns to usher in the Chinese New Year -- usually pick up tremendously just two weeks before Gong Xi Fa Cai. “I have to decorate my shop earlier so that I can promote the available elements for my clients’ consideration. And the customers can set their budgets as well,” Lim went on to explain. RED FOR GOOD LUCK “Wear a lot of red to usher in the dragon year. For youngsters today who do not fancy the colour red, wear the lucky colour as a complimentary colour, like a red belt or accessory to go with their New Year attire,” Eric Leong, celebrity interior designer and the Dulux Colour ambassador suggested recently. In his younger days, Leong used to have a set of red inner garments to be worn on the first day of the Lunar year. And so did his siblings. "Every year we take these red inner garments to wear, we do it for good luck," Leong said. MEI HUA Flowers, too, do play an important role during the Lunar New Year. Do you know why the Mei Hua are a favourite among housewives every time the Lunar celebrations begin? Even the writer is intending to buy a bundle of the fresh Mei Hua for her home. Fresh talks are priced around RM38 for a small bundle, slightly more than 1.5 metre high, at florists in Subang Jaya. The artificial ones are sold by the stalk as well, slightly over RM4 each stalk of red, white or pink, while the bigger bunches are priced around RM12. Leong agreed that the element of abundance should be observed whenever possible, including where flowers are concerned. “Use a lot of flowers for the house from New Year's eve, and during the family reunion dinner. When you have more and you show more, it is a good sign. The hope is enhanced to have more all through the year. That is the belief of our ancestors,” Leong said. What is the significance of this flower? “The Mei Hua is a resilient plant, it can survive even in the cold of winter. Having it as a decoration in the house for the celebrations can give the same resilience to the household as well,” Lim replied when asked on the significance of these plum blossoms. LUCKY CHARM POSTERS The sales of lucky charms, to be hung or stuck on to the door and walls of a house or office, are brisk in the stores and stalls two weeks before the New Year. A trader of these items in USJ11, Subang Jaya, who preferred to remain anonymous said that colourful posters of the dragon are available in two sizes, medium and large. “They are priced at RM3 and RM5 a pair, respectively. Pasting them on the external part of your front door is said bring happiness to the inhabitants within. "The large ones are suitable for the front door, while the medium ones can be pasted indoors,” the trader explained while showing the two packets of different sized lucky charms to an interested female shopper. There are also lucky charm buyers who do not observe any superstitions but purchase them to entertain their young children, as it contributes to the festive cheer. “I paste these posters for decorative purposes only. It gives a feeling of happiness, especially when you have young children in the house,” Joanne Tan said. These lucky charms are mostly red and gold in colour, with a clear presence of the Dragon in the foreground, with calligraphic words of great hopes for prosperity and happiness on the side. The ushering in of good luck for the Lunar New Year usually starts a fortnight before the new calendar begins, and as usual the Yee Sang (or the Prosperity Toss) -- a feast of raw fish and vegetables in different colours. representing abundance for good luck -- is held by corporate companies for their staffs and friends. This is not only to foster better relationship but also for better productivity in the Dragon year 2012. “Other than the Yee Sang feast with family members, I also buy dry foodstuff as gifts for senior citizens, so that they can use them as an ingredient for the reunion meal on the eve of the New Year. I buy mushrooms, scallops and oysters, among other things, in dry form and send them out in a box with a red packet (Ang Pow) placed on top of it. "Red is for good luck and greater wealth,” Madam Lim, who is in her late 50s, explained at a Yee Sang get-together recently. Gong Xi Fa Cai to all Malaysians celebrating the Chinese New Year and may the water dragon bring happiness and harmony for all! (photoBERNAMA) MALAYSIA