Hao Mama 好妈妈

This Sunday, the 14th, is the first day of the Year of the Tiger, and the Bay Area is a great place to celebrate. Lunar New Year celebrations big and small can be found all over. We usually love the pan-Asian New Year Festival at the Oakland Museum, which is the right mix of performances, food, and crafts for kids of all ages. But unfortunately the museum is undergoing renovation this year so they won’t be holding the event.

On Monday, February 15 (President’s Day), the Bay Area Discovery Museum will hold their annual Chinese New Year Celebration with lion dances, and arts and crafts projects. It is generally crowded but fun. More info is here.

And of course the largest parade outside of Asia is held in San Francisco at the end of the two -week New Year holiday, this year on Saturday February 27 at 5:15 pm. More information is here.

On a smaller scale in the East Bay, I noticed during a recent visit that Ranch 99/Pacific East shopping center in Richmond will have a lion dance performance on Saturday February 20.

In the spirit of the season, here’s a song our whole family memorized after a pre-school new year performance last year:

Here’s the pinyin for the lyrics, in case you too want the song stuck in your head for several months:

Mei Tiao Da Jie Xiao Xiang
Mei Ge Ren Di Zhui Li
Jian Mian Di Yi Ju Hua
Jiu Shi Gong Xi Gong Xi
Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni Ya
Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni

Hao Hao Bing Xue Rong Jie
Yan Kan Mei Hua Tu Rui
Man Man Hua Ye Huo Luo
Ting Dao Yi Sheng Ji Ti
Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni Ya
Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni

Jin Guo Duo Shao Kun Nan
Jin Li Duo Shao Mo Lian
Duo Shao Xin Er Pan Wang
Pan Wang Chun Tian Di Xiao Xi
Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni Ya
Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni
Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni Ya
Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni

恭喜发财！ 万事如意！
Happy Year of the Tiger!