New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is a special time for us. We make sure the house is in pristine shape, make sure all the clothes are nice and neat, sheets are folded, beds are made etc. Then its preparation time for the meal. We always have a hot pot with various meats, fish, and vegetable. Hot Pot is a dish where all the food is served raw and a large pot with boiling water is in the middle and you can cook all the food as you eat. This is something we do twice a year, once on new year and once on Chinese New Year. Just as the clock strikes midnight all the lights switch on and we shake tin cans (ie. Mooncake containers or Danish butter cookie containers) filled with coins. These coins aren't just dimes and pennies, these are gold-colored, discontinued one dollar coins. Anything thats gold colored and shiny represent wealth and prosperity. Each evenly distributed for each family member to shake. I once asked "Mom whats with the coins?" She said she learned this tradition in Hong