Happy New Year!

I know, I know. Some of you may be confused. You thought New Year celebrations were long gone, and they are if we're talking about January 1st. But I'm talking about a different type of New Year today- lunar New Year, or Chinese Near Year.

Today marks the first of several days of celebrations ringing in 2009, the year of the ox. Festivities include parades, lanterns, dragon and lion dances, fireworks, and more.

I remember with great fondness the second year I lived in Asia and celebrated Chinese New Year. Scott was visiting me in Macau, and we went to Hong Kong to enjoy some of the festivities. I had friends staying in the Peninsula Hotel, and they invited us to join them for the fireworks display. They had an incredible room near the top of the hotel, looking out over Victoria Harbor. It was absolutely stunning to see all of the buildings lit up at night, and then we had front row seats for the fireworks display.

Those fireworks were incredible! The best I have ever seen. I saw fireworks in shapes I never knew existed...Chinese characters, numbers for the new year, even animal shapes. Wow! We were absolutely amazed. I wish I would have had a video camera to capture the incredible display of lights at the time. I do have a few pictures, but they are at home. For now, the memories of that time are clear in my mind.

Happy New Year, the Year of the Ox!