Tomorrow is the Lunar New Year 4709, the Year of the Rabbit (the Vietnamese are celebrating the Year of the Cat), and you get things started off with a bang by heading to Sara Roosevelt Park for the Firecracker Ceremony at 11:30 a.m. and parade at 1 p.m. Then this Sunday is the big parade in Chinatown—it begins at 11:30 a.m., at Hester and Mott Street with the best viewing on Allen Street between Grand and Canal streets.
Some other events to consider: On Saturday, the Museum of Chinese in America is offering a walking tour, "Preparing for the New Year," at 1 p.m. ($18 for adults). And, for the little ones, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a "Sesame Street Puppet Show," which will feature "Performers using Sesame Street puppets, costumes, and songs introduce a character who must be educated about the Lunar New Year and Chinese traditions. Chinese songs are integrated into the familiar mix of sing-alongs for toddlers"; it's free with museum admission and starts at 11 a.m. at the Carson Family Hall, Uris Center for Education. The Met also has an exhibit of "Treasures from the Forbidden City."
There is, of course, food: Eat dumplings and/or spring rolls as they look like gold ingots and represent wealth and prosperity. Rice cakes are also eaten because they mean prosperity in business. Some other tips: "Whole foods symbolize prosperity. Try a whole barbecued duck (fidelity) from a Chinese deli, if there's one nearby, or substitute a supermarket rotisserie chicken (family unity). Give the chicken a quick soy glaze and 10 minutes in a hot oven when you get it home. Oranges are both golden in color and whole. Double luck? Serve the oranges as is with some sugar cookies or chocolates on the side."
Feng shui master John Tsang gives his rundown for the various animals of the Chinese zodiac on Explore Chinatown's website—for instance, Rabbits, though it's your year, it's not looking that good, "This year , the rabbit is said to be offending the presiding god and you’re likely to feel restless and have poor interpersonal relationship with others. You also tend to feel pessimistic about everything. Your emotional status hits a low in Lunar February 4, 2011. I will advise to take a trip can make you feel better."
