Fireworks and New Years Celebration

Happy New Year!! It's festive around here. People are wearing their new clothes (everyone from kids to adults buy have new clothes from socks, shoes, and trousers, etc) and are celebrating while eating dumplings and lighting fireworks. It's quite the fireworks display in all directions over here. We have a wonderful view living on floor 30!  My kids have been playing football and enjoying watching the light shows.

The two previous nights were quiet. The construction just next to our apartment building stopped! Usually men, machines, humming noises and big trucks work all day and ALL through the night. Our air purifiers neutralize the noise and our kids easily sleep through the noise, but if you were to be awake at 3:00 am you would hear horns, beeping and see lights and movement of a very active work sight.  

The noise stopped because the men finally had their one holiday / time off during the year. They returned to the countryside to celebrate the New Year with their families and kids that they probably only see once a year. 

Those kids are usually raised by their grandparents and later to boarding schools. My heart goes out to the kids who grow up in these situations. In our city there are many of kids like that too.  The woman I buy fruit from was very proud to introduce me to her three children yesterday.  She and her husband left her kids in a different city to come work long hours and sell fruit to others.  They have a stand next to the street and are usually there from about 7am - 11pm 7 days a week.  Her parents take care of her children and occasionally (maybe once every four months) she sees them.  I've tried to talk with her about whether it would be possible for her to sell fruit in the same city as her kids are, or to have her mother and children come live in this city.  I think there are complex reasons why they are separated (maybe cultural traditions, housing situations, etc) but also perhaps the husband and wife find that life is easier without the responsibility of raising their "naughty" children.  I've talked through this all with her. I was happy to see her daughter's hair growing a bit (last time I saw her she looked like a little boy) and to see them together for the New ears!  

Now the fireworks are going and the noise is back! It's fun to see everyone excited about the New Year. I have seen a lot of people walking about with boxes of yoghurt, milk cartons or oil to deliver to their family and friends. We have all sorts of extra special milk and yogurt cartons in our refrigerator that two dear woman brought us. 

I'm not sure were everyone is finding their fireworks, but they are stocked up on them!  All through the night and now at all moments of the day fireworks can be heard and seen in ALL direction.  A few years ago we could find fireworks booths everywhere.  Now there are more laws about them due to safety and pollution issues.  My Little Man likes to find people lighting them off.  Yesterday they shared with him and let him light a few.  The mother assured me they were "Very safe." Hmmm.  

People stop me regularly and ask me what I will eat for New Years. Were I grew up, people talked weather.  Over here, people talk food.  When I tell them "dumplings" they ask whether I will make them myself. Last time we did homemade dumplings, it was great. But it took hours and hours (it was an experience to be enjoyed). This time we bought frozen ones:) Delicious, fast and easy!

               

Happy New Years!

Thanks for stopping by and reading!