> CD #55: Year of the Tiger
Happy Lunar New Year! Or as my people say, “Gong hei fat choy! Sun tai geen hong!” Wishing you great prosperity and good health in the year to come!
One thing I’ve noticed recently is how fashion brands have gone all-in on limited edition Chinese zodiac collections these past few years. It seems capitalism has decided to create a whole new shopping holiday between Christmas and Valentine’s, and the Year of the Tiger has amped it up to a whole new level. Probably because the tiger is a much more charismatic and aspirational animal than, say, the pig, lol.
Most of the hype, as I understand it, is driven by luxury brands courting new wealth in China, but it has now spread so far that when I google “Lunar New Year,” I get an ad for a lucky red Lululemon belt bag, which… ??? And then there’s this, which is just sigh.
Still, I like seeing my heritage celebrated in a wider context, and I believe Lunar New Year traditions are strong enough to fight against over-commercialization. I mean, in a way, the holiday has always been pretty commercial with its huge focus on money and good fortune.
My mom’s fondest memory of Chinese New Year (besides the food) was receiving a set of brand new clothes each year. As the youngest of four sisters (and one of six kids in total), she rarely got new clothing, so it was a big deal. And her new clothes were sewn by my grandmother, cut from government-rationed fabric, so… not quite the Gucci Tiger collection, but a luxury all the same. It’s mind-boggling how much China has changed in my mother’s lifetime.
What hasn’t changed—and what keeps traditions intact—is our desire to gather with family, to celebrate the spring, and to hope that performing a few simple actions will somehow improve our luck in the coming year. Lunar New Year is always about the future, about being prepared for what’s to come, whether good or bad, and renewing our commitment to do better. No amount of corporate co-opting can take that away.
I hope the Year of the Tiger brings you boundless new possibilities and a courageous spirit. Be brave. Take heart!
:) Teresa
ps. Recommended reading: I really enjoyed Frank Shyong’s column in the L.A. Times about the commercialization of Lunar New Year.
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I wish you nothing but joy, good health, and prosperity to you and yours♥️ And, yes, the tiger cardigan is a go 👊🏼 Gong hei fat choy! Sun tai geen hong!