Chinese New Year at By the River B and B

Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year is the most important holiday in Chinese culture, so it was a privilege to celebrate it with Coral Shuai & Hao Hua and their family & friends at By the River Bed & Breakfast in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Together we welcomed a New Year of Happiness. This Chinese New Year celebration is an annual 15-day festival that begins with the new moon and it falls between January 21st and February 20th in Western calendars. The holiday lasts until the following full moon. It begins as a time for feasting and it honours household & heavenly deities, as well as ancestors.

Chinese New Year

Coral & Hao offer a Chinese New Year Open House marking the first two Saturdays of the Spring Festival. A special rate and privilege is offered to B & B guests staying the night to also join Coral & Hao in their New Year Dinner celebration. Enjoy this peek back at my experience in 2020 then plan your visit and book your stay to mark the first new moon of the lunar calendar.

Happiness and Good Fortune

The Chinese New Year has been celebrated for centuries as a time to honour ancestors and to gather together to welcome the new year to bring good luck, fortune, wealth, prosperity, and happiness. Coral shared that families hang the Chinese character 福 upside down on their door & windows symbolizing a blessing of happiness & good fortune has come into their house. The colour red is prominent throughout homes as well because it attracts luck & prosperity. Parents and grandparents also give special red envelopes (with money inside) to the youngest members of the family.

Traditional Chinese Music

Coral and Hao’s daughter, Yimei, plays the guzheng, also known as a Chinese zither. It is a 21-stringed musical instrument with a 2,500+ year history. She expertly plucks the strings with picks on her fingers. Both Yimei & her twin bother, Yixiang, took lessons in Beijing before moving to Canada and often entertain B & B weekend guests.

Chinese Calendar

The Chinese calendar is about one month behind ours and it has 30 to 50 more days per year. The zodiac calendar also cycles though 12 years - each year representing a different animal. 2020, the year my husband & I visited, was the Year of the Rat. As the first animal in the cycle, the rat is believed to usher in a period of new beginnings. Those born in the year are considered to be smart, quick-witted, flexible, adaptable, and outgoing. The 12 Chinese zodiac animals are the: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. I noticed many Chinese New Year animal ornaments on display. The ones represented in their home celebrate the year each family member was born. I discovered that my husband I were both born on the Year of the Tiger, and apparently tigers should not marry as they do not compromise well. Oops…

Chinese Tea

Hao and Flora, their youngest daughter, welcome guests during their Open House to enjoy Chinese tea. Tea is served on both casual and formal occasions. It is also used in cuisine & traditional Chinese medicine. Flora says blowing on it a wee bit is always a good idea, as it could be hot. I heeded her advice and we both agreed, it was delicious.

Chinese Culture

Family is extremely important in Chinese culture, and there is great significance placed on it at the Chinese New Year’s dinner. All family members travel back home whenever they can, and if they truly cannot, their place is still set for them. I met Nathan & Helen, Coral & Hao’s neighbours & very good friends. They, along with other close family friends Yanning & Xin Liu, and their son, Shawn Liu, all joined us for the special dinner celebration.

Dumplings

Dumplings are very tasty and I decided were my favourite new experience. Flora told me these rice flour balls filled with vegetables (or meat) are her favourite, too. Coral shared that a coin is placed inside a random dumpling during preparations, and whoever finds it will have good luck, unless of course they break a tooth, she giggled.

Preparing Chinese New Year food

Preparing Chinese New Year food is as important as eating it. It is a special bonding time. Everyone participates in the process of preparing the dumplings by either rolling out the dough, stuffing, wrapping or cooking them. In certain regions in China, the daughter-in-law must make a dumpling to be considered part of the family.

Chinese New Year Feast

A massive buffet was spread out before us for the Chinese New Year Dinner including: Braised Pork - Family Style, Peking Duck, Sweet & Sour Spare Ribs, Sautéed Beef Filet with Bell Peppers, Breaded Smelts, Black Fungus with Cucumber and Vermicelli, Sautéed Chicken Slices with Vegetables and Fried Fish in Sauce. We shared dishes passing them back & forth. Hao explained each dish and how to enjoy it the most, as some were combined together in a small pancake wrap, and some were best with certain sauces. Eric & I had a delightful time and savoured every tasty dish as did the other guests in attendance. Flora, who was sitting next to me, schooled me in the proper way to use chop sticks, despite her older brother stating she wasn’t very good at it yet. I think Flora was secretly pleased that someone else struggled with them more than her and later on Flora, Eric & I all resorted to forks.

新年快乐

Happy New Year

At dinner, glasses were raised & clinked often - whenever someone exclaims 新年快乐 (Happy New Year). Eric & I were extremely grateful & blessed to share this celebration with Hao & Coral’s family and friends. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the Chinese culture & traditions, and to make new friends.

The Carleton Executive Suite at By the River B & B

After dinner, Eric & I made our way up to our room - the Carleton Executive Suite. It boasts a sumptuous king-size bed, a private bath, a lovely covered balcony, and gracious turret windows. Architectural details abound in the Carleton suite, including the sitting room fireplace. The ornate cast iron insert is original to the house and will never leave, despite a persistent antique dealer’s pleas. This is a testament to the attention and care that Coral & Hao have taken to preserve the history of this grand home while still ensuring guests have all the modern comforts & conveniences we all appreciate.

A Chinese Knot - a Warm Blessing

A Chinese Knot keepsake was placed in our room as a warm blessing given with heartfelt sincerity along with a sweet treat of maple sugar candies for after dinner. This practical skill knot evolved over thousands of years into an exquisite work of art and is made using only one piece of silk. I will treasure this as it will remind me of our Chinese New Year’s stay and celebration.

By the River B & B Breakfast

Coral prepared a delicious breakfast the next morning; eggs made to your liking, along with fresh orange juice, hot coffee and warm blueberry muffins. I enjoyed my omelette so much that I forgot to take a photograph of it. What I can share though is that you will enjoy your breakfast at By the River B & B very much - served exactly the way you like it.

Everlasting Friendship & Happiness

Here’s to everlasting friendship & happiness Coral and Hao. Thank you so very much for your warm hospitality. May you, your family and your dear friends all enjoy prosperity, happiness and good health in the year ahead.

新年快乐

This post was sponsored by By the River B & B; however, all thoughts & opinions are my own. Follow Maritimes Maven on FaceBook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn & Threads. Subscribe to be the first to receive my latest articles. Share articles you love with your social media community so they, too, will discover, There’s No Place Like Home!