Gung Hee Fat Choy! Be happy and prosperous!

Today is the first day of the Chinese year 4705.

Many of the community celebrations—lion dances, lighting firecrackers, giving of lai see (money offerings)—that go along with this most important of Chinese holidays happened last weekend. But today’s second new moon after the winter solstice marks the actual start of Chinese New Year, and its two weeks of family reunions, serious feasting and honoring of elders and ancestors.

In Hawaii, two dishes traditionally eaten today are nien-gao and jai.

Nien-gao is a new year’s cake made of sweet rice flour and brown sugar, steamed into a sticky pudding. According to Joan Namkoong’s book Family Traditions in Hawaii, the rice’s stickiness symbolizes the bonds of family, the cake’s round shape the reunion of family, and sugar the sweetness of life.

Taking an animal’s life and eating meat on the first day of the year is discouraged. So the vegetarian dish jai—also known as Monk’s food—is popular at restaurants all day.

We haven’t had our nien-gao or jai yet today—just some sweet Chinese candies (pictured above) generously given to us this morning by HAWAII Magazine account executive Caryn Yu.

So guess what we’re having for lunch?


UPDATE, Jan. 7, 2:55 p.m.: Good kids that we are, we've had our serving of jai (also pictured above) for Chinese New Year.
  

If you’re on Oahu, it’s multicultural party time.

Get yourself to downtown Honolulu’s Chinatown Arts District today.

It’s First Friday, with all the galleries open, bars packed, the young and trendy packing the sidewalks, and serious revelry.

Not enough? Tonight’s also the official Chinese New Years street party. There will be firecrackers and lion dancers up and down the streets of Chinatown, food booths and decorations, plus a festival at the Chinese Cultural Plaza. 

Still not enough? The Follies will put 60 showgirls on stage at Hawaii Theatre, and there will be free bands at Smith-Beretania Park.

In other words, it’s the biggest street party Chinatown’s seen in a long time.

Not the last party, though. There’s more Chinese New Years celebrating on Saturday, and then on Tuesday, the good times roll. Mardi Gras shuts down Nu‘uanu Avenue with beads, bands and food, plus Brazilian carnival and a Caribbean style costume and float contest.

It doesn’t end there. Friday, Feb. 8, is Double 8 on the Chinese calendar. “It’s an auspicious day, all 24 hours, for weddings, businesses,” says Sandy Pohl of Louis Pohl Gallery.That evening, 26 merchants, restaurants and galleries will give patrons li-see—all of which will contain a surprise, some of which will contain money.

It’s a multicultural party marathon. Most of it free, all of it fun.

Just take a look at the celebration last year.