The Year of the Ox begins on January 26.
If you were born in one of the following years...then your an OX,
1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997
THE WORLDS MOST FAMOUS OX IS PRESIDENT, BARACK OBAMA
People born in the Year of the Ox are patient, speak little, and inspire confidence in others. They tend, however, to be eccentric, and bigoted, and they anger easily. They have fierce tempers and although they speak little, when they do they are quite eloquent. Ox people are mentally and physically alert. Generally easy-going, they can be remarkably stubborn, and they hate to fail or be opposed. They are most compatible with Snake, Rooster, and Rat people.
...I'm a dragon...if you want to learn more or to see what animal year you were born in just click here...
...I would love to take Mini down to chinatown this weekend for the huge chinese new year celebration, but after being out in the cold for the inauguration this week...I'm worn out. So we'll just order in chinese on Monday and look forward to being healthy, wealthy and wise in 2009.Here is an example of what foods you may want to have on hand this monday to ensure a prosperous and happy year to come.
1. Tangerines and Oranges. Displaying and eating these fruits is said to bring wealth and luck. According to the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, the tradition stems from the way the Chinese words for gold and orange sound alike, while the word for tangerine echoes luck. It’s good if they have leaves, because leaves symbolize longevity. But don’t group them in fours, because, this number is associated with death.
2. Long Noodles. If noodles are served, then keep them as long as possible for long life.
3. The Tray of Togetherness. Put out for visiting relatives to snack on, or given as a gift, the eight (“a traditionally symbolic lucky number") compartments of the tray are filled with things such as preserved kumquats for prosperity, coconut for togetherness, longans to bring many sons, and red melon seeds for happiness.
4. Nian Gao. “Nian gao means year cake, but gao sounds the same as the word for tall or high,” says Dunlop. Hence the cakes symbolize achieving new heights in the coming year. The steamed sweets are made of glutinous rice flour, brown sugar, and oil. Some versions have white sesame seeds, red dates, or nuts in them (the dates are said to bring “early prosperity,” writes Gong in Good Luck Life).
5. Pomelo. This large citrus fruit is popular, it is thought to bring “continuous prosperity and status.” The tradition comes from the way the Cantonese phrase for pomelo sounds similar to the words for prosperity and status.
6. Jai. This vegetarian dish is eaten because it’s “part of the Buddhist culture to cleanse yourself with vegetables,” says Lum. It’s also packed with good-luck foods, sea moss for prosperity; lotus seeds for children/birth of sons; noodles for longevity; lily buds to “send 100 years of harmonious union”; Chinese black mushrooms to “fulfill wishes from east to west”; and more.
7. Long Leafy Greens and Long Beans. Leafy greens, such as Chinese broccoli, are “served whole to wish a long life for parents.”
8. Whole Fish. The Chinese word for fish sounds like the word for abundance, says Lum. It’s important that the fish is served with the head and tail intact, writes Gong, “to ensure a good start and finish and to avoid bad luck throughout the year.”
9. Sweets. Serving desserts brings a sweet life in the new year. A favorite is the flaky cookie pockets called gok jai, filled with peanuts, coconut, and sesame.
10. Yuanbao (Jiaozi). In North China, everyone eats the jiaozi dumplings, families will make a dough and wrap it around pork and cabbage, and boil [the dumplings], then serve them with vinegar and soy sauce. You can wrap them in the shape of an old silver ingot. During New Year celebrations jiaozi are called yuanbao, a reference to the ancient, ingot-shaped Chinese currency, and that eating them is said to bring prosperity. While making them, families sometimes tuck added good-luck foods like peanuts (to bring long life) into some of them.
