The colour RED

Red is the colour of Happiness, the colour of Spring...

Chinese New Year or Chinese Spring Festival is just round the corner and the city is literally decked up in Red. Every shopping mall has set up a corner selling Chinese festive trinkets. Red dresses, red lanterns, good wishes  written on red paper are seen everywhere.

Last year, I was introduced to this popular festival at the lovely home of my hubby's company CEO. The Malaysian-Chinese origin lady had invited everybody for a luxurious sit-down lunch.  Traditionally it is celebrated as a Reunion dinner by the family members on New Year's Eve. RED was the colour for the occasion. Everyone wore red attires. The children were gifted token money in red paper envelopes (called Hongbao) with Chinese motifs. A bunch of Mandarin Oranges were given to everyone wishing good luck.

RED has always been my favourite Colour.  It is the auspicious colour of our Bengali weddings, the colour of sindoor and the wedding bangles. I was fascinated to see how this colour transcended boundaries to become the auspicious colour in another culture. In Chinese tradition, red symbolises fire, which drives away the evil and brings happiness and harmony to the world. So all homes are decorated in red.

As the Chinese community prepares for their most important festival of the year, on this joyful occasion , I wish that everyone's life be filled up with the happy vibes of RED !!!

Togetherness

Time for togetherness ...

I grew up in an era when celebrating Valentine's Day hadn't become so ubiquitous. Display of affection was considered exhibitionism. Gradually I grew to appreciate the spirit and enthusiasm with which young couples celebrate this special day today. It's not about the gifts exchanged or the explicit declaration of love which often gets associated with this day. It's the loving glow on the faces with a not-so-faraway dream of coming together of these happy souls.

As career and other commitments have taken precedence in our lives so much so that time has become a scarcity, let's endeavour to slow down and spend some beautiful moments with our loved ones this weekend. 

Wishing you the magic of togetherness on Valentine's Day.

Newspaper

The magic of newspaper continues...

I still vividly remember the superb throws of the newspaper -wallah from my childhood days. The rolled-in papers used to perfectly land in our balcony everyday morning punctually. Nowadays, it lies gently at our apartment doorsteps brought in by the building security. The settings have changed but not my anticipation while fetching the morning papers. The "can't-describe-exactly" smell while turning the pages still peps me up in the morning :-)

Catching glimpses of the headlines for the day before going to work was a habit. Now. after becoming a stay-at-home mom, the newspaper has become my breakfast companion. Sipping orange juice while flipping through the pages probably boosts up my Vitamin C intake. Away from the television where news channels are blaring "breaking news" throughout the day, I can absorb the news at my pace and comfort. Isn't that a bliss ? Getting to know the opinion of the author along with the news is a bonus too .

Happy me in the Papyrus World.