Tomorrow will be the year of the runner-up...

... according to a Chinese legend. It was said that in 1804, the Jade Emperor held a competition for the animals in the animal kingdom to determine their places in the lunar calender. It's going to be a 12 year cycle, so the first 12 who make it will get to represent one year, and the orders are to be determined by the places they finished in the race.

The results were as follow: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.

So, year 2009 is the year of Ox. You are probably scratching your head over the results of the race, because seriously, some really doesn't make sense. But, apparently the rat cheated in the race by riding on the ox's back, and just before they reached the finish line, the rat jumped across the finish line from the ox's back. And isn't it a bit weird for a horse to come in 7th?!

Anyhow, Chinese New Year is tomorrow! And it's the tradition for the Chinese to have a reunion dinner for the entire family on NYE, so tonight we are going to have a crazy dinner for 23 people.

And on the 1st day of CNY until the 15th day, it's heaven for us kids. We don't get presents like during Christmas, but we get Ang Pao - something like a red rectangular envelop with money inside from the adults. In Chinese we call it "压岁钱" which upon receiving it, means that we are one year older now, and it's like a blessing from the adults to the kids to wish us a good year ahead. 

Hopefully the Ang Paos I get this year are sufficient for me to attend the FOB concert in Singapore. 

To those who celebrate it, Happy Chinese New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai! 

I'm prepared to be inspired like it was 31st Dec 2008 again!

Mayyie xxx