Go on...be a Tiger.

I know, I know...it's a bad joke, but considering how we on this side of the world are about to enter the Year of the Tiger, I just couldn't help myself!

That's right, it's officially Lunar New Year's Eve (also commonly known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival- though people all over Asia, from Singapore to Laos to Mongolia and everywhere in between, all celebrate it). There are twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac, and they are referred to nearly as commonly as your name and date of birth. Eight times out of ten when I'm meeting a new person, they'll ask me which "animal" I am. And in case you're wondering, I was born in the year of the chicken - as was my mom and my oldest daughter, Emma. That series of facts never ceases to amaze new friends. They love it. Who knows how they've pegged me after learning that I was a Chicken baby, but anyway, there it is.

This year, the Year of the Tiger, is a particularly inauspicious year to get married (apparantly, the woman is more likely to become a widow if you are married in the Tiger year) and it's also very bad luck to have a child born in the Year of the Tiger (they "tend" to be more aggressive, have difficulty finding spouses, and end life poor). Of course, if you were to ask people directly, they'll tell you that no one really "believes" this stuff, but good deals on wedding packages at hotels abound because NO ONE wants to get married.

Pictures of tigers and signs with them adorn everything from doors...

to grocery stores, to even the elevator in my apartment building.

n the several years we've lived over here, we've never once been here to celebrate Chinese New Year. We're usually in places like this...

or this...

...or this. (Let's please all try to forget how fat and pregnant I was in that picture, ok? Thanks.)

Anyway, so while we've been in the sunny, balmy tropics for the last three Januarys, the locals here have been just fine without us. Honestly, I've not been sad to miss out on it. Most of our friends travel home to be with family. Our house helper has a long, extended vacation. Stores are crowded and poorly stocked. Transportation is a nightmare. And...most importantly...fireworks go off for hours and hours nearly every night during the weeklong celebration.

I'm not talking sparklers. I'm not talking cute little tanks that fire balls of tame color through the sky. I'm talking shake-the-floor booms, blackcats that last for 10 minutes, and in such quantities as you've never seen nor imagined before.

So - have I missed that? Nah.

But I'm actually kind of excited to be here this year. I figure, I ought to experience it at least once in my life for all the years I've put in over here!

I went to the grocery store at the same time as the other 2.99 million people in my city last night, and instead of being irritated at the crowds, I found myself excited about the coming holiday. It was the closest I'd come to the "christmas in the air" feeling since I left America. Being around so many people who were so excited and full of anticipation was contagious. I was happy that so many families will come together. I was happy that I was a part of it. (I was also very happy to get home after waiting to check out for 25 minutes!)

The girls and I went for a walk today. The weather was nice and I was curious to see who was out and what they were doing.

The answer?

No one. No one was out. Well, hardly no one. The streets were empty.

We stopped by a few fireworks stands. The sheer amount of fireworks that will be set off in the next seven days is staggering.

I saw a roll of black cats that was as tall as Emma. The cost? $50. That's US Dollars, folks. There were plenty of other things too.

Sparklers, as big me:

Freaky castles made of missiles:

And towers of fireworks that were named "Birds Nest", after the Olympic venue of that name a few years ago.
The fireworks are not to be confused with large sticks of incense, sold just a few meters down the road:
The smell of incense still makes me nauseated after all this time.
People take their massive purchases of black cats and other firebrands and lay them out neatly in whatever way could make the most possible trash. (Ok, I'm just kidding about the trash part.) But can you see in this picture - taken from our 10th floor window - the red string of blackcats draped over the big rocks?
It creates a seriously big mess.
Anyway, since this post has been sitting in my drafts box, I can update it now to tell you that on the eve of Spring Festival, fireworks kept us up past 1am - but there were some very impressive displays! More Spring Festival blogging later - Happy New Year!