Why We Celebrate the New Year
A legend of China recounts how people along the Yellow River Basin lived a simple, nomadic life, very content and happy. On a cold winter evening a mysterious being attacked the village and destroyed the villager's property.
A village meeting was held and precautions taken to protect them from the intruder. Noting happened and people went about their daily routines. Then the mysterious being struck again, causing even greater damage to lives and property.
Again, the villagers gathered and prepared for their safety. And again, nothing happened and people went about their normal activity, feeling secure and safe. But the mysterious force struck a third time, causing much loss and great fear among the villagers.
An elderly scholar had studied the intrusions, watching the stars and heavenly bodies and recording their movements. He explained that the intruder came when the heavenly bodies were in a particular order and after the sun had appeared 365 times.
The villagers studied this theory closely and learned that the intruder feared three things: the color red, illumination and noise. They called the intruder Nien or year.
On the following 365th day, preparations were made for the return of Nien. Houses were lit with lanterns, objects were painted bright red and loud noises were made until dawn of the next day.
The villagers' plan worked and the mysterious intruder did not appear. It was decided that from then on, a thanksgiving ceremony would be held every 366th evening to thank all the god for their blessings. And that the same preparations would be made for the return of Nien, scaring away the evil deeds of the spirits. Thus we celebrate the new year, chasing away evil with fireworks and celebrating with festivity and food.
I have always talked to my cats. I say their name when I see them, when I pet them and when I feed them. They know their names and come when called. The human voice is calming to a cat. Some cats will respond when talked to, others just look at me, but at least I have their attention. I've had other cats that would answer every question with different sounds. Since I don't speak "cat" it was impossible to understand, though. Cats can remember us by our voices as well. One of our cats named "Graceful Mowser" was sold to some friends of ours and a year and a half later had kittens. They called her "Mouse". We were invited to see the kittens, but the momma kept standing over them so we couldn't see them. I talked to her, "Hi Gracie, what beautiful babies" and she stood back as if she was proud and looked at me intently. I always called her "Gracie". When other people came to see the kittens she still tried to cover them. Later, whenever we stopped by, Gracie would come to greet us as soon as she heard my voice. Otherwise she was naturally shy and would hide whenever anyone came in the house.
