Chinese New Year: Traditions, Wishes, and the Year of the Snake

Chinese New Year is one of the most significant celebrations in Chinese culture. It’s the beginning of the lunar new year and is a time for family reunions and festive traditions. Each year is associated with one of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals. This year is the year of the Snake.

Traditions and Festivities

Chinese New Year is celebrated with a variety of customs that bring luck and drive away bad fortune. Families clean their homes before the new year to sweep away misfortune and make way for good luck. They also decorate their homes with red lanterns, couplets with auspicious phrases, and images of the year’s zodiac animal.

One of the most cherished traditions is the reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, where family members gather for a grand feast. Traditional foods like dumplings (symbolizing wealth), fish (symbolizing abundance), and glutinous rice cakes (symbolizing growth and success) are served.

Red envelopes, or hongbao, filled with money, are given to children and unmarried young adults as a symbol of good fortune. Fireworks and lion dances are also common, as they are believed to scare away evil spirits and invite prosperity.

What People Wish For During Chinese New Year

During this festive season, people exchange well wishes and blessings for the new year. Common greetings include:

  • (恭喜发财) – Wishing you prosperity and wealth
  • (新年快乐) – Happy New Year
  • (身体健康) – Wishing you good health
  • (万事如意) – May all things go as you wish

The Special Meaning of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac

The Snake is the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac cycle and is often associated with wisdom, intelligence, and mystery. People born in the Year of the Snake are believed to be intuitive, elegant, and highly perceptive. They are often seen as deep thinkers who approach life with strategy and grace.

In Chinese culture, the Snake is associated with transformation and renewal. It symbolizes rebirth, adaptability, and resilience. The Year of the Snake is often considered a time for reflection, self-improvement, and making moves toward success.

For those celebrating the Year of the Snake, it is believed to be an ideal time to embrace change, pursue knowledge, and harness inner wisdom to achieve one’s goals.

Key Takeaways

Chinese New Year is a time of joy, tradition, and optimism for the future. Whether it is through festive gatherings, exchanging good wishes, or honoring zodiac animals like the Snake, the celebration carries deep cultural significance. As people welcome the new year, they embrace the hope for prosperity, good health, and success, making it one of the most cherished and meaningful holidays in Chinese tradition.

Are You a Night Owl or an Early Bird?

Are you most productive with the sunrise, or are you most creative under the moonlight? Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, both schedules have their perks and challenges. I’ve tried both lifestyles, and I think one is a clear winner.

The Case for Early Birds

Early risers often believe in the “early bird catches the worm” philosophy. Starting your day before the world wakes up can provide a distraction-free environment to achieve your goals. Early birds tend to be more proactive and may feel a greater sense of accomplishment. By starting the day early, you’ve checked off many items on your to-do list before people have started their work day. However, waking early also means sleeping early. 

I’ve woken up early when I used to have an early work schedule. Words can’t describe the feeling of getting a head start on the day when everything around you is still quiet. But as a writer, I admit it doesn’t feel good to sleep just when my mind is most creative.

The Case for Night Owls

Night owls, on the other hand, get to tap into their body rhythms and natural alarm clock, waking up later in the morning and avoiding the morning rush. They often hit their peak productivity later in the day or even at night when the world around them is asleep and there are fewer distractions. Inspiration comes when work is done for the day and they feel more relaxed. 

Clearly night owls have the better schedule. Waking up later in the morning reduces the stress of waking up when it’s still dark outside. It’s more relaxing to write in the evening when the daily routine is done, instead of cramming in a bunch of tasks before the start of the work day. 

Which Is Better?

Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The “better” choice depends on your goals, responsibilities, and preferences. If you have a job with early hours becoming an early bird might be more practical. Conversely, if your lifestyle allows for flexibility, embracing your night owl tendencies could help you perform at your best.

How Food Can Inspire You While You’re Working

Eating and working at a desk job seems like an odd combination, but some of us do it, so let’s talk about it! When you’re hard at work and need a burst of creativity, your food choices could be the secret sauce to creativity. Food is fuel, and what we eat can impact our mood and spark inspiration. Let’s explore how the right snacks and meals can bring some joy and excitement to your workday.

First, do you have a stash of snacks in your desk drawer? For example, chocolates or nuts. If you’ve got writer’s block, a quick bite of your favorite snack might get your creativity going. Eating something delicious can be an instant reward, making mundane tasks more enjoyable. For example, one bite after each task is completed. I find the day goes so much faster when I can have a bite of a delicious snack after completing a grueling work task.

Food is also a great opportunity to be creative and have some fun. Packing yourself some tasty leftovers from last night’s dinner or trying out a new lunch recipe can be your exciting reward for getting halfway through the workday. Some of the tastiest creations include putting together a lunch with a variation in colors and flavors, such as a salad. I also enjoy leftovers from a tasty dinner – a reminder of home.

Additionally, food that feels like a reward is very motivating. I’ve made it through a long and dull day by marking out the hours with delicious items. For example, dessert such as a cookie. Or your favorite tea at mid-morning to break up the day. It feels almost like being a kid again, to be motivated with food and not just a paycheck! The best part is enjoying every bite after finishing a dreary work task. 

Next time you’re looking to be inspired while working, take a moment to savor what you eat. Your choice of food can be just the thing to fuel both your body and your creativity and get you through a workday. (Especially on a Monday!)

What are your favorite snacks?

Strategies to Deal with Writer’s Block and Some Humor to Help You Feel Good

This is not just another blog post about writer’s block. Writer’s block is a common issue for writers and of course, there are lots of tips out there on how to deal with it. If you’re a writer, you’ve probably looked for every bit of advice under the sun to see if you can find the ideal solution to unblock that block, break through that creative barrier, and get the words flowing again. 

Well, this post does have some strategies to help you when you can’t think of what to write, but the big bonus is it also has some relatable moments. (Because that’s what you’re really here for, right?)

1. Freewriting

Too often, we become our own freelance editor when we are trying to write. You write several sentences and then the censor police in your head kicks in and has the overwhelming urge to delete  improve what you just wrote. Instead of worrying about what to say, just start writing anything that comes to mind. Set a timer for ten or fifteen minutes and let your thoughts spill out onto the page without censoring them. This method is one way to get past the mental block. Often, freewriting leads to unexpected ideas or topics you can explore further. I’ve tried this method before, and it often results in me writing several paragraphs of garbage I remove with one click of the highlight and delete key, but I have ended up with some good ideas.

2. Write What’s On Your Mind

Regardless of whether you’re writing a memoir, a blog, or a work of fantasy, your own life can be a source of ideas. What’s going on in your life? What are you thinking about? Your reactions to current events, your thoughts about a moment in your personal life, or your take on how an overheard conversation should end could spark an idea.

3. Change Your Environment

If you’re stuck, sometimes a simple change to your environment can help. Many writers I know go to coffee shops and hang out with writing friends to exchange ideas and just talk about writing or reading. A change of scenery, such as moving to another room to write, or going for a walk to get some fresh air can sharpen your focus. Of course, be prepared if your new environment isn’t the perfect place. (Some writers bring headphones and listen to music when they find the noise levels at a cafe too loud and distracting.)

4. Read, Watch, or Listen to Something New

If you’re struggling with ideas, get inspiration from other content. Read a book from a favorite author, listen to a podcast, or watch a show that interests you. I’ve read books while analyzing the writing style to see what I can learn from it. I’ve listened to music to awaken my imagination. It’s also inspiring to watch a movie for ideas (what storylines to learn from if the movie is good, what storylines to avoid if the show is bad), or watch a documentary as part of your research into a topic). Just be mindful of your time – it’s incredibly easy to lose yourself in a movie or a novel for hours. (Because it’s easier to watch stuff than to write stuff.)

Key Takeaways

Writer’s block doesn’t have to be permanent. Simple strategies like writing something, anything to get yourself going can get you back into writing mode. Looking for inspiration from various sources or different places can also trigger more ideas. Writing is not a straightforward process from start to finish; sometimes, you just need a little break (or block) to start writing again.

The Benefits of Reading Aloud to Kids

Reading aloud to kids has many benefits. It builds empathy, creates a love of reading, improves language and listening skills, facilitates important conversations, empowers the imagination, and is fun.

I remember a day long ago when the teacher read a book aloud to the entire class. The story came alive when the teacher became the voices of all the characters, and hearing the reactions of classmates made the story interactive.

As a kid, I certainly learned a lot of new words and how to pronounce them when an adult read a book aloud to me. This method of learning language was especially important for books in Chinese because, unlike English, you can’t rely on phonics to sound out the words. Learning pronunciation was almost like a guessing game.

Most recently, I’ve seen programs that encourage children to read a book to a therapy dog. Many of the benefits of adults reading to children are transferrable to children reading aloud to pets.

When you were young, did you enjoy listening to a story? As an adult, do you read aloud to kids?