Toot…

I guess this this post is inspired partly by the the last book I read, One, Two, Three… Infinity by George Gamow, and partly by the book I’m reading, Unweaving the Rainbow by Richard Dawkins. I have to say, what prompted me to sit down and write this post is my friend’s new blog.

Festive seasons are always for us to meet up with loved ones, family and friends. When I was young, Chinese New Year was the best festival in the year. For the sake of those who do not understand Chinese custom, I shall give a brief introduction to Chinese New Year.

The Chinese New Year, as the name implies, starts on the first day of a new year according to the Chinese lunar calendar. Having said this, the celebration actually starts a day before. It is customary that family members go back to their home town to have a Tuan Yuan (get-together) dinner with their extended family members. Other than the obvious chance for the family members to keep in touch, they are reminded of their root, of where their ancestors came from, or for some, of where they grew up. It is a way to keep the culture and the customs alive. Perhaps this was quite a reasonable for those with small extended family, but I have to admit, not quite so for a person with (still alive) 3 uncles, 8 aunts, 52 cousins, toot-knows-how-many nephew, nieces, grand-nephew, and grand-nieces……

Then comes the New Year. According to custom, children should visit their parents, younger siblings should visit the elder ones, nephew and nieces should visit their grandparents, uncles and aunts. In short, one needs to visit all one’s elders. No wonder the Chinese New Year was celebrated for 15 days! As for the reason why I thought Chinese New Year as the best festival of all, it is customary that the elders give Ang Pow (red packets) to the unmarried younger ones. Hey, who can say no to the extra dough?

As I grew a little older, visiting relatives is becoming more and more of a chore. Due to my upbringing, I don’t usually spend on unnecessary things, so most of the dough I get goes into my bank account. I never gamble. So, what is the fun of getting the extra money if I don’t spend it? Of course, I’m am just using the Chinese New Year as an example for the many festivals in my country in a year. What I really want to talk about is festive celebrations in general, not a specific one.

Sometimes, I wonder why people are so excited about the sun and the starts being at the particular position in the sky, or the shape moon reflecting sun light? Haven’t we learned from astronomy that all these phenomenon can be explained from the fact that the Earth is orbiting the Sun, while the Moon is orbiting the Earth? I may sound rather anti-social or anti-festive-celebration, but what I am trying to convey is that science has given us a much much more elegant explanation to the phenomenon our ancestor observed in the sky, rather than, say… A Nian monster terrorised a town in China, and the Chinese New Year is to celebrate the success of driving Nian away.

However, for the past few years, I dare say I can slowly understand the true meaning of these festive celebration. New Year is not here for us to celebrate return of the constellations to their rightful place. Mid-Summer Festival is not for us to celebrate the accent of Chang-er to the moon. The list can go on and on, but I have to refrain to do so. What I really want to say is that we really have limited time to spend with our loved ones, family and friends. Festive celebrations are the really rare time when we can sit down and spend what little free time we have together. Isn’t that all it is about? What more can you ask for?

Cherish the little time you are alive, and spend more time with your loved ones. And quote Fiddler on The Roof: To life, to life, La’haim!

Christmas is a day when people of other religion come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. - Bart Simpson.