Are you already looking forward to receiving your red envelope? Chinese New Year observances and events are gearing up for Jan. 25 when food takes a central role in the celebrations.
Small red envelopes containing money are traditionally given by Chinese elders to the young members of their family to bring good fortune to the giver and the recipient.
Kudos to Panda Express for the video above explaining Chinese New Year and all the traditions surrounding this important date in Chinese and Asian cultures.
Just so you know, we are not getting paid to show this commercial. I just found it interesting enough to share that an American company, founded and owned by Chinese American food entrepreneurs Andrew and Peggy Cherng, is taking the time and money to show the diversity that makes up our country and how to appreciate the traditions of other cultures taking away the fear of them.
Sure, Panda Express is promoting their product, but at the same time, commercials and videos like this are widening the idea of who, or what, can be seen as an "American."
The story of the Cherng's and the rise of their food empire, which began as a single restaurant in 1973 in Pasadena, California, is the story of American possibilities, right?
If you patronize the restaurant chain, you'll notice the special designs on their takeout foods by Chinese American artist Jing Wei.
Chinese restaurants -- including big chains such as Panda Express or PF Chang -- are commonplace in the US and Canada. They can be found in practically all US cities beyond the historic Chinatowns: in suburban strip malls, in Midwestern rural towns, or New England villages.
According to the magazine Chinese Restaurant News, there are nearly 41,000 Chinese restaurants in the United States, three times the number of McDonalds franchise units (and at $17 billion in annual sales, at a par with the gargantuan hamburger chain).The presence of Chinese restaurants is so pervasive in our culture, we can safely say that Chinese restaurants are -- dare we say it -- as American as apple pie. Chop Suey and the fortune cookie are American recipes.
The celebration of Chinese New Year, which this year is Jan. 25 through Feb. 8, has become major a event in cities like San Francisco, New York, Chicago and other cities around the world where there is a large Chinese population. Millions of people flock to parades, celebrations and Chinese restaurants to take part in the festivities and traditions surrounding the Lunar New Year.
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