Getting ready

This year, we are slightly early in putting up the CNY decorations. They were up since last Saturday lunar 15th of the 12th month. Yes we view CNY as very important compared to Christmas as it is welcoming a new year. This is the first year of celebrating CNY in my new house, there were many corners I could put up the decorations, as there were a lot of space and variations. However, I try to make it just tastefully done (and not-too-cheena) when I decorate my place with the CNY stuff.

In my living room I put a huge fan decor with the one character of 招财进宝 against my dark green wall above my sofa. Somehow the huge fan did not looked so huge against my huge wall. Inside my main door I put up a round 财神爷 decor with lots of ingots and 8 chinese coins and the words 吉祥如意. Above my main door was the mantra plaque with many mantras blessed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Outside my main door entrance, I put up a 五福临门 banner which can supposedly luminate in the dark. Also there is a 春 decor on my exterior main door. I think they looked nice together with my plants and golden gate and semi-circle door mat.

In my living room corner coffee table, is my Laughing Buddha with a money plant and a family portrait. There is also my prosperity plant with red ribbons on it, with the 恭喜发财 decor above. In my parents room, there is a 大吉 decor (with a 金童玉女) at the corner window, flanked by a photo of them and red flowers. On their bedroom door I pasted a 福 and a 花开富贵 on my bedroom door.

Next very importantly, on top of my water feature, I pasted a big picture of a round and laughing 财神爷 with the words 财神到 and 福旺财旺运气旺 as well as 家兴人兴事业兴. Nine small elephants are lined up in a row bathing in the pond with their trunks up. More ingots and chinese coins are in a big pot in the living room, as well as my big money plant, bamboo shoot plant, and 福 tissue boxes, as well as a golden frame of abacus and 6 coins and the golden rice bowl filled 满 with real rice. I even pasted a 福 above my kitchen stove!

I have a few more couplets not put up yet and the perishables CNY goodies, we would only buy when nearer to CNY. Other than that, I think we are almost ready for CNY.