Mahjong & Family!

Mid afternoon on New Year's Day we went to the house of VIcky's Uncle.  He lives in old worker housing above the water company.  As I entered the apartment sheer bedlam greeted me.  There must have been 30 or 40 people in the small unit, with Mahjong tables for men and women.  This evidently takes place throughout the day with up to four tables forming.

I also learned the tradition of "Lucky Money" where the older folks give younger folks red envelopes with money in it.  This act is supposed to make the recipient lucky in the coming year.  I was taught two phrases which I tried not to butcher too much...

Gong Xi Fa Cai (I wish you wealth)

Shen Ti Zian Kang (I wish you health)

Though every once in a while the whole room would burst out laughing.  

Vicky's closest cousin and her husband delighted in stirring up the process and since Vicky is one of the oldest, they all piled into a line in front of her asking for the money.

After a bit of Mahjong, we all walked to a nearby restaurant for the family feast.

Tomorrow Tiger goes to visit his maternal family so he stayed with Tony and Queenie.  We came back to the apartment and collapsed.  There are fireworks going off all around the apartment again, but I'm too tired to try and capture them.

Happy New Year!