Preparing for 2010 Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is a big celebration in our family and my daughter is showing her artistic side by helping me with the decorations. She usually prints out some of ChildBook's free Chinese New Year coloring pictures and color it red. She hangs it on the walls and doors. It's really cute.

As for me, I am in charge at the kitchen. I cook the traditional Chinese New Year food plus other non-Chinese cuisines and the dessert. My in laws spends the CNY with us too (the reason for the non-Chinese cuisine). It's a pretty big event that needs more time from me but I'm happy to do it for my family. My great husband is the cleaning crew (with me of course). Sometimes, my Mother will stay longer to help out with the cleaning but I do not oblige her.

By the way, did you know that on Chinese New Year's eve, we traditionally burn a photo of the Kitchen god (that's posted on my kitchen wall for the whole year)? The reason is, for the Kitchen god to report to the ancestors about the family he was in (If I was naughty or nice). So the ancestors can decide if we are to have a bountiful new year ahead of us or not.

Hmmm.. I still have few recipes and ingredients to check out and I'm hoping that the local Chinese/Asian supermarket I frequent saves some of the things I need for me.

What about you, how do you prepare for the upcoming 2010 Chinese New Year?