Tea and Chinese New Year
In some regions, the first thing to be drunk at New Year is a cup of tea with lotus seeds, tea with sweet jujube served with watermelon seeds and sticky rice flour cakes. As you take a sip, you must say “tiantian mimi,” meaning “life will be happy,” and as you eat the cakes “bubu denggao,” meaning “you will be promoted to a high position.” Lotus seeds are also offered to married couples with the words “zaosheng guizi,” or “you will soon give birth to a boy.” The same day, filled sticky rice balls (tangyuan) are eaten for “tuantuan yuanyuan” so that all family members will be reunited and live in harmony.
