25 January, 2012
Flat C 11/F
Block V
Flower Garden
Austin Hill
Hong Kong
Mr. Mike Sheppard
Flat A 17/F
Star Apartment
56 Cox Road
New Jersey
U. S. A. 10968
Dear Mike,
How’re you? I’ m glad to know that you’ve passed your mid-term examination. New Jersey is freezing and terribly cold this winter, isn’t it?
I know that you’re doing a project on the culture of Hong Kong and want to know something about it. As the Chinese New Year is coming, let me tell you something about the Chinese New Year.
As you may know, the Chinese people enjoy the Festival very much. There are a lot of celebrations and traditional activities for the Lunar Chinese New Year. Here I would like to mention a few of them. Well before the New Year, people do a clean-up of their house, remove all the dirt and rubbish and decorate their house with red couplets. They buy lots of food for the Festival. On the New Year’s Eve, family members gather together for a big feast. The family union is a tradition and the dinner gathering is meaningful to the Chinese. After dinner, some people go out to the flower fair and buy various items of New Year goods, especially blossoming flowers that symbolise prosperity and wealth to the family. During the Holidays, people visit their relatives and friends. Youngsters receive red packets from the parents and relatives. People exchange greetings with each other with “Kung Hei Fat Choy” (which means Wishing you wealth and fortune). Nowadays in Hong Kong, there have been usual events to stage Carnival Parade and Fireworks respectively on the first and second day of the New Year. These activities attract tens and thousands of spectators and tourists every year. For the old folks, they go to the temples and worship their gods, pray for peace, health and wealth. Among the festive celebrations, it is always a good time for us to plan and prepare ourselves well for the coming year.
I wish you and your family a Happy New Year of the Dragon!
Best Regards,s, Andre