Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-02
THE CHINESE NEW YEAR
FEASTINGs AND vIsITATIoNS
FEATURES OF OBSERVANCE.
Exchanges Of Civilities and Forgive
ness Of ofenses-Festivities to
Continue Two Days.

One week from next Sunday, when chill
dren will be anxiously awaiting the ap-
pearance of darkness in order to be able
to drop comic valentines at the doors or
the homes of their little companions, the
residents of chinatown" will be feasting
and celebrating the first days of their new
year. In some places the Chinese continue
their celebrations for a week, but here 1t
lasts only about two days. Sunday the
Cinnamon will do their feasting and some
little visiting. but most of the calls Will be
made Monday. During the two days there
will be but little work done by the celes-
tails, and most of the laundries will be
closed. The big stores In chinatown will
be open, for they will be depended upon to
supply the good things to their patrons
who will not do their holiday shopping until
the last minute. 1t is at this season of the
year that the Chinaman is supposed to for
give and forget everything of an unpleasant
nature that has occurred during the preced-
Ing twelve months. 1t is a season when
the wearer of the "pigtail'' is supremely
happy
1t is only necessary to make call on a
Chinaman New Year day to be convinced
everybody, whether friend or foe. In the
words of local merchant, 1t Is a time to
wish everybody well and have good time
Sunday Set Apart for Feasting.
Sunday we will eat and drnk-and drink
and have good time," he said. Monday
we will go calling. But don't say anything
in the paper about drink, because people
will think we get drunk. We have some
thing to drink with our dinner, but we
don't do what Americans dove don't get
drunk. It's just everybody have good
time, and good words for everybody
This merchant said the New Year dinner
will consist of turkey, chicken. pork and
better things from China Rich people,
he said, will have turkey, but poor people
will be satisfied with pork. If a poor man
wants something good that he can't buy
he will call upon his neighbor, and he
knows he is more than welcome to partake
of what his neghbor has.
Saturday night, when the weeks bust
ness Is about over, the celeStials will begin
the work of getting their homes and bust
ness places in readiness to receive their
callers Chinese wines, tea and whisky
from the orient are offered the callers, and
on a table spread with Chinese fruits, nuts
and candies will be bright-colored pictures
of Chinese gods, peacock feathers and artl-
fetal flowers from California or from the
other side of the Pacific. Cigars and drink
ables are passed, and guests are then in
vited to partake of what is spread upon
the table. There are about five hundred of
the Chinese colony in this city, according
to the statement of a Chinaman, and about
two hundred of them. he said, attend Sun
day school, This statement he made In eX-
planatio of the absence of a joss house In
this city
The Absence Of Joss House.
For several years the place of worship of
the Cinnamon was on the top floor of
building on AZ street. Then the Cinnamon
assembled in room at 31S Pennsylvania
avenue, where the Chinese Freemasons now
meet.
why Is it that there is no joss house
here. now?" the Chinese merchant was
asked.
washington Cinnamon not much super
stitious," was his response.
1t is said that there are only two resi-
dents of chinatown whose wives are ma
tives of China. There are about one dozen
Chinese children there, and the little ones
will be very much in evidence during the
holiday season. Visiting cards for the hol1-
day season have already been received by
some of the local Cinnamon. Some of them
are imported from their native land, While
others are from San Francisco. Some few
Cinnamon purchase the big slips of red
paper and write their own cards. Not only
are the cards exchanged when calls are
made, but residents of different cities ex-
change them by mail Some of the mem
bers of the local colony have already sent
their cards to friends in China.