February 16, 2010
-
Pics from New Year
Some pictures from a couple of temples my bf and I visited the past couple of days. I also had a wonderful feast at his home and at my brother’s place the next day.
This is from a “wishing tree”. You buy a wish and hang them on a tree or have the volunteers there hang it for you. This year, all the proceeds went to the Canadian Red Cross for their work in Haiti. A lot of volunteers must have had sore necks and shoulders the next day. Everyone wanted their wish to be on
the highest branch.
They also sold food, flowers, souvenirs and activities for the children.
There were lots of Tiger stuff… but no Tiger Woods posters.
After a vegetarian lunch the next day at my bf’s place, we went to
another temple.
Cute kid… everyone in this family posed for pictures. My ears
were ringing afterwards as I stood there waiting for my bf in the
line up.
I rushed to an early dinner afterwards at my brother’s place (uhmm… no food pics
either – it was just take out food). It was a small family dinner and I met up with
one of my cousins there. His baby girl was so adorable. But she didn’t want anyone else
but mom and dad holding her. Every time I carried her she cried. I held her facing her mom
and then her dad. She knew something was wrong. She looked up, saw me and started howling.
The next time I carried her over my shoulder and slowly pat her back. She kept straining to see
who held her. Yep… she started bawling again. Sigh – women always have this reaction when
they see me.
Comments (38)
Great photos! I like those sesame seed balls, so good!
Beautiful pictures … I will think about celebrating CNY at a temple next time …
Nice. Happy CNY!
First one was in Sauga rite? I recognize the wishing tree on my other freinds pics.
Happy New Year =)
i thought it’s in china, hongkong or malaysia… didnt know toronto has such beautiful chinese new year
nice temple i gotta say =p gong xi fa cai
Lovely report….by the way 恭喜發財, 身體健康 Happy CNY, good wealth, good health!
Now that is the way to celebate New Years! I fear I would have gain several pounds.
sounds like you had a nice new year’s celebration! thanks for all the pictures; i haven’t seen some of those things in a long time, since the last time i went to a temple was many years ago.
Nice pictures!
Great pictures – being from the UK - and not Chinese – I’ve never seen the celebrations for real, so it’s lovely to see the pics ! Hope your CNY is a happy and healthy one
I’ve never seen a wishing tree, but it looks amazing!
Your entry is so “red”!
If I didn’t know you were in Toronto, after seeing those pics, I’d wonder where in Asia you were…
And what’s wrong with the baby…always thought you had a magical touch with kids.
The “wishing tree” was beautiful! Happy Year of the Tiger! 恭喜發財! 丁財兩旺!
That wishing tree tent is amazing! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year
I notice from looking at everyone’s photos, that people from different places make their nian gao differently. Here, ours are all round and wrapped with red paper.
Where is all this festivity? Scarborough?
I have never seen any red papers hanging on a tree branch before. Where is that from?
This is awesome, great photos
Happy new year! So do you hang out with your bf’s family? Do they know who you are in relation to him? Have I asked you this before and I’m just losing my mind?
@NVPhotography - thank you, glad you liked the pics.
@kachino - the only thing that was a bit uncomfortable was the strong incense smell.
@yang1815 - you’re a man of few words. Either that or you have lots of other blogs to comment on.
Happy New Year to you too.
@inchyguy - thank you and Happy New Year to you too. Yeah, the first one was the one in Mississauga. After I posted it, I remembered someone noticed that last year (I think it was you). hee hee…
@lcfu - I can’t speak Mandarin… so gong hey fat choy to you Fufu. Well, we have a few Buddhist temples here in the city. I think there’s a new one being built around Niagara Falls too.
@agmhkg - thank you, I hope this year brings you good health and wealth as well. I could certainly use both.
@Fatcat723 - I already did – hahahaha. My bf and I were also in a Chinese restaurant to order some roast pork. The lineup was about 20 people. While we were waiting, they took out 3 roast pigs (small ones – suckling?) for takeout. The clients had their SUVs waiting outside the restaurant.
@kunhuo42 - I’ve never gone a temple until I met my bf.
@TheLatinObserver - thanks… my bf asked me to take pictures of cute guys but I felt so self conscious and couldn’t pull the trigger. I just don’t have that paparazzi skill like you do.
@Chatamanda - glad you liked the pics.
@Roadlesstaken - I’m not really familiar with the background of the wishing tree. I wish I could add a bit more detail. But it seems to draw a crowd every year.
@brooklyn2028 - I know, that baby just cried and cried. But when my sister in law held it, she was fine. My brother said she duct taped the baby.
@CurryPuffy - I’ll have to translate those Chinese words (I can’t read Chinese except the very simple characters). Happy CNY to you and W too!
@TheCheshireGrins - that “tree” is very popular. I think the Red Cross got a healthy donation from it. Happy New Year to you too!
@arenadi - Happy New Year Michael! *hug* I guess every region must have a different way of making it. *looks left, looks right* actually I don’t eat nian goa. *sheepish look*
@Wangium - I’m sure if I check my archives I’ll find the same comment from you last year about the temple. The first temple is
Fo Guang Shan Temple in Mississauga, just west of Toronto in the Greater Toronto Area. The one in the outdoors is the Cham Sham Temple just a bit north of the city in Thornhill. I don’t know the origins of the wishing tree.
@isingstupidsongs - thank you, glad you liked them.
@christao408 - Happy New Year to you and Tawn. Yes, you’re losing your mind. You’ve asked me this question before … deja vu? hahahaha….
My memory must be failing me :’(
@ElusiveWords - But it’s not about how many words there are
happy cny!
@onmovement - Happy CNY to you too.
Nice, I didnt go to chinese new year parade in Chicago’s Chinatown
I strongly disapprove of the Tiger Woods pun.
I am a rabbit. For some reason, I feel uneasy about the year of the Tiger.
Nice… I was surprised at how many New Years treats there are at the asian grocery store. It’s crazy!
happy belated cny! The temple here was packed with people and had a huge lineup. As I’m not Buddhist, I decided I wasn’t obliged to go in. But it looked like I may have missed some interesting things.
@AzureRecollections - I’m not Buddhist either, my bf is.
@mmmagination - our local T&T’s had tons of new year goodies too.
can i have those fortune cookes and tikoy, matt?
(still no face picture)
wow, i heart those trees with red envelopes. they look great. fit for a chinese christmas tree
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I love the tree of wishes. It looks great.
Give a few more months to that little child, and she would eat of your hands I am sure. When are you gonna post a picture of yourself? I am dying to see you.
What wish did you make?
@secade - no offense intended…
@ElusiveWords - Oof, twas intended a joke. No offense was taken in any way! I just meant to poke a little fun at you for making the joke.
my apologies, barlgggggh
@Renatojr3 - I had to google tikoy to figure out what you meant… of course you can! A picture of me? ^ ^
@rudyhou - I never thought about it that way – a Chinese Christmas tree, I like that.
@ZSA_MD - thank you… I don’t know about this kid. I think the only way I can keep her quiet is duct tape. A picture of moi? I look like Thomas the Train (but w/o the blue colour).
@Fongster8 - there were all sorts of wishes but I think you can write your own. I chose something for career and for good health.
@secade - oh… hahahaha… I wasn’t sure.
Boy, you’re fast with the comment today. I just updated.
@ElusiveWords - Today is a work day. I won’t be leaving my inbox for the next 10 hours….
@ElusiveWords - yeah right!!