"Ah~ At last!" the street sweeper exclaimed in sweet satisfaction. He took a moment to admire the clean streets of Boston. "I finally finished sweeping the confetti from the Red Sox victory parade. I can finally rest." He breathed a sigh of relief.

~ One week later... ~

"Sweet Caroline~ Good times never seemed so good~"

Over a million people gathered on the Boston streets, crowding the sidewalk to get a good view of the parade. The sky rained red, white, silver, and navy blue confetti onto the massive crowds. The cheers of many Patriots fans erupted like a volcano seeing their favorite NFL players ride on duck boats with the Lombardi Trophy in tow. Once again, Boston became a city of champions.

Massachusetts and his New England family rode in a duck boat alongside other Patriots players.

"Wooooo! We did it, New England! We did it again!" Massachusetts chugged down a can of beer.

"You're so cool, Brother, but please control yourself. I hate for the police to get involved." Maine cuddled a stuffed goat wearing a #12 New England Patriots jersey in her arms.

"Aaaaaaaah! We're getting attacked!" New Hampshire ducked his head from getting hit by a beer can.

"Shit! Shit!" Rhode Island dodged a bombardment of beer cans coming his way. He managed to catch a can in his hands. "Hey, Masshole! Get rid of this!" He tossed it to him.

"Wooooooo! Fuck New York!" Massachusetts downed another can of beer.

"You're going to get him arrested!" Maine scolded Little Rhody.

"Not my problem. Aaaaauugghh!" He got struck by three beer cans at once.

"Oh my. Is it me, or is New England a bit warmer than usual?" Connecticut stared at the shirtless football players ahead of him.

"Stop ogling men and help me overthrow all these beer cans!" New Hampshire shook him out of his trance.

"Hey, you guys!" Vermont waved and hollered from the safety of a balcony along the street. "How's the parade so far?"

"Great! Just great! Aaaaah!" Rhody cowered from another beer can being thrown at him.

"Brother! Stop drinking!"

"Come on, Maine. Just one more beer."

"That's your sixth beer already!" She tried to take the can away from him.

He wouldn't let go. "Noooo!"

"Let! Go! Ah!"

The beer can slipped from their hands, sending it straight into the air. The beer can launched to the duck boat ahead of them, hitting a shirtless tight end in the forehead. The football player held his forehead and groaned in pain. Massachusetts and Maine shrieked and ducked inside the vehicle before the injured tight end could see them.

As more beer cans and confetti continued to fly around the street, the street sweeper watched the parade from the back of the crowd, wearing a content smile on his face. "Ah~ It never gets old," he mumbled.

☆☆☆☆☆

1859 ~ San Francisco, California

Long story short, China was working in America's house to take opportunity of the country's fortune. Unfortunately for him, the First Transcontinental Railroad wasn't built yet. For now, he stayed in California's house as one of many Chinese immigrants living in her home. Guess how he was doing so far?

"China! China! I'm hungry!"

"Be patient, child!" China hurried to cook fried rice in a wok.

The little Californian tiptoed to see what he was preparing. She pouted. "More soy sauce!"

He pushed her away. "No! If anything, this fried rice should have less soy sauce."

"MORE SOY SAUCE!" She poured soy sauce into the wok.

"Aiyaaah! That's too much!"

"MORE SALT!" She splashed handfuls of salt into the wok.

"You're ruining it!"

"I'm making it better!"

"YOU'RE MAKING IT UNHEALTHY!"

~ Aiyah... ~

"What's wrong with American kids? They don't eat vegetables. No respect for their elders. So loud all the time," China grumbled while washing the bowls and chopsticks in a sink.

"China! China!" Cali ran back into the kitchen.

He groaned, "What is it now?"

She pulled his sleeve. "Hurry!"

"So demanding, too..." he muttered. Reluctantly, he followed her out the house.

After zigzagging down various streets and alleyways for what seemed like hours, China assumed she had no sense of direction. He was struggling to catch up with her rambunctious energy, nearly out of breath.

"Hurry up, slowpoke!"

"Slow down-aru! I'm not as young as you."

"Hurry! They're going to set off the dynamite!" She ran around the street corner.

"D-Dynamite?!"

It wasn't hard to do the math. California + Dynamite = Angry Americans. Not good.

"Cali!" He ran as fast as he could. He felt his back ache with every step he made.

When he finally caught up with her, she quickly hid behind him and pointed at a rusty house. "Stop him!" She referred to the young man lighting a long banner of "miniature, red dynamite".

He scowled. "That's not dynamite."

She cocked her head. "Wha-"

Crackle! Pop! Crackle! Snap! Snap! Crackle!

The Chinese New Year firecrackers went off in a splendid series of sparkles and crackles. The young man, his wife, and his two year old son applauded the celebratory sight. The rest of Chinatown agreed as they were ready to set off their own firecrackers as well.

"... Oh. They were only setting off fireworks. Hehe..." She awkwardly chuckled, pretending to ignore China's annoyed glare.

~ Hetalia... ~

"So, why were they setting off fireworks? New Year's Day was over a month ago, and it's not America's birthday yet," Cali asked China as they walked back to her house.

'Fireworks on America's birthday? I'm not surprised...' he thought to himself before replying to her question. "You Westerners typically celebrate the New Year on the first day of January. That's true. But in my home, my people celebrate Chinese New Year instead."

"Chinese New Year? What's that?"

"Well, you see child, Chinese New Year takes place at the beginning of the lunisolar Chinese calendar and..." He was about to explain the Chinese calendar, however, he remembered he was talking to an American child with the patience of a hyperactive kitten. "... For you to understand, just know many Chinese people celebrate Chinese New Year sometime after Western New Year."

"Oh..." She blinked her eyes. "So, what's with the red?"

"The red?"

"Yeah! The people in Chinatown were hanging all these red banners and red lanterns along the streets. All the fireworks I saw were also red. So, what's up with that?"

"Oh! The red is to scare off Nian." 

"Nee-en?"

"A year beast. I'll tell you the story when we get home."

"Okay!"

~ Hetalia! ~

"Long ago in ancient times, there was a ferocious monster called Nian. The giant beast had sharp teeth and sharp horns. It was known to seclude itself in the dark sea. However, the monster would always come ashore by the end of the lunar year and hunt people and livestock. Nian was especially known to eat children."

"Children? Like me?"

"Yes. He would most definitely eat you first."

"Yeah, right." Cali pouted.

China made a short chuckle before continuing the story. "The villagers of one village were terrified of Nian. Usually, every time before New Year's Eve, the villagers would escape to the remote mountains to avoid Nian's attack. However, there was one year that was different. Prior to the villagers' retreat to the mountains, a strange, old man took refuge in the village."

"Was that old man you?"

"Stop interrupting my story-aru," he huffed. "That old man wasn't me. He was a beggar in rags who walked with a walking stick. The villagers welcomed him to their village, however, they were too busy preparing for Nian's arrival to pay the old man any attention. As soon as the villagers barred their homes shut, they went with their belongings to the mountains for shelter.

One of the last people to leave the village was a granny from the east side of the village. She noticed the old man and gave him some food. She told him about Nian and the terror the beast had caused, how he should flee to the mountains with the other villagers. However, the old man kept his cool and smoothed his whisker slowly. He requested to stay one night at the granny's house, and, in return, he would expel the beast in reward.

At first, the granny wasn't convinced of his promise. She continued to persuade him, however, the man did not change his mind. Without a choice, the woman allowed the man to stay at her house. She left the village and escaped to the mountain alone.

Soon, it was midnight. Nian came out of the sea and stormed the village. The monster sensed something strange within the village. In the past, the entire village was pitch black in darkness. But this year, there was one house in the east that was bright with light. The beast cautiously approached the house. It found all the doors and windows were plastered with red paper. It also found the source of the light. They came from many candles being lit from inside the house.

Nian trembled and bawled in anger as it glared at the strange things. The monster swooped to the front door. At that very moment, a loud crackling bursted in the courtyard, deterring the monster from getting any closer to the house. The front door suddenly slammed open in a brilliant flash of white. The old man appeared before Nian in a bright red gown, roaring with incredible laughter. Gravely frightened by the loud sight, Nian retreated into the dark night.

As soon as morning came, the villagers returned to their village. They were surprised to find their houses undamaged. The granny was also surprised. But then it dawned on her. The relief the old man promised to the granny came true. She quickly went to the other villagers and told them about the beggar's commitment. To see whether it was true, all the villagers flocked to the granny's house. When they arrived, they found red paper all around the doors and windows of her home. There were also red, melted candles inside the house as well as unburnt bamboo in the courtyard.

The villagers were soon enlightened by the truth. The bamboo's crackling, the bright light, and the color red were the keys to scaring Nian. In celebration of the village's triumph over the monster, the people dressed in red and visited neighbors in other villages to share the news with joy. Soon, everyone commanded their own ways of defending their homes from the beast. Thus, the color red was worn and celebrated as a part of Chinese New Year.

The color red symbolizes joy, virtue, truth, and sincerity. It's also a lucky color that repels misfortune and evil spirits such as Nian." China softly smiled. "Soon, I'll be hanging red banners and red lanterns around the house. If you don't want to get eaten by Nian, I suggest you wear red clothes when that day comes." He proceeded to pull something out of his pocket.

Cali cocked her head. "What are you doing?"

He handed her a small, red envelope. "I was planning on handing it to you tomorrow, but I might be working on the railroads for a long time. Anyway, be sure to-" He was about to tell her to put the red envelope underneath her pillow.

But Cali already went ahead and opened the red envelope. She poured six silver dollar coins onto the palm of her hand. Her eyes widened in surprise. "C-China! This is, like, half a month of work for you!"

"I..." He sighed. "It's fine."

"But-"

"It'll protect you from Nian."

"Really?"

He nodded. "It's custom for adults to give money to children on Chinese New Year. It'll ward off evil spirits and bring good luck and fortune, especially if you leave the unopened envelope underneath your pillow for seven days before opening it."

"Oh..." She looked down at her palms. "Whoops! Hehe."

"At least you know now," he chuckled.

"Um," she frowned at the coins in her hand, "thank you, but... Is it really alright for you to give me this much money? I already have plenty of money from the gold mines."

"Do not worry about me." He waved away her concerns. "Just promise me you'll spend that money wisely.

"... I promise," she relented and accepted his gift.

"Okay-aru. Time for you to go to bed."

"Yeah, yeah." Cali got up from the sofa and went down a hallway. She turned her head back at China. "Wǎn'ān (Good night)," she whispered before heading to her bedroom.

"Wǎn'ān." China smiled. He stretched back against the couch. "What a day." He pondered to himself. "... I guess she isn't that bad once she stops being loud and American."

~ Hetalia! ~

"Aiyaaahh... I think I hurt my back again..." China groaned as he went back to Cali's house after a long day of work.

Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong!

Crackle! Snap! Crackle! Crackle!

His ears perked up at the sound of drums and firecrackers occuring nearby. He turned the corner and saw rows of Chinese men dressed in red walking down the street. Some of the men held crimson flags. Some of the men held scarlet banners. Some of the men held bright red lanterns from long, bamboo poles. Some men held Chinese New Year firecrackers up high in the air, setting them off as they crackled and brightened the cool night. The beating of the drums echoed throughout the street. Many San Francisco residents stood outside their homes, watching the red parade in memorized awe and interest.

"I thought New Year's Day was last month," said one resident.

"Are we celebrating the Fourth of July early? What's going on?" said another.

"What's with these crazy Asian?"

"It's Chinese New Year!" squeaked a little girl in a ruby red dress. She handed a sparkler to a resident. "March!" she commanded.

"But why?"

"To scare off Nian!"

"Nee-en?"

"A scary monster! The beast will eat you if you stand here like a dumb duck doing nothing!"

"But-"

"Do you want to your house to be destroyed?! Do you want the beast to gnaw on your body like a well-done steak?! Do you?!"

"N-No!"

"Then march!

"O-Okay!" The resident grabbed the sparkler and proceeded to march alongside many residents and Chinese immigrants.

Cali weaved her way through the crowd and met back up with China. "Here." She handed him a sparkler.

"What's this?" He referred to the sight he was saying. Never before had he seen anything like it.

"It's a parade!"

"A parade?"

"You know! There's always a military parade whenever America won a war. I thought we could celebrate Chinese New Year by having a parade. That way, Nian wouldn't dare eat us."

"Ah! I see." He smiled. "It's very bright and beautiful. The beast will surely stay away from the town."

She huffed her chest with pride. "You're welcome!" She pulled at his sleeve. "Come on! We need to catch up before the parade leaves us behind."

"Alright, alright-aru! No need to rush me."He and California joined the paraders.

Together, they marched through Chinatown, celebrating Chinese New Year in San Francisco, the first parade of its kind and one of many to come.

☆☆☆☆☆

+ In 2019, Super Bowl LIII (53) pitted the New England Patriots against the Los Angeles Rams. As usual, the New England Patriots won another Super Bowl with a final score of 13-3, giving New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady his sixth Super Bowl ring. The Patriots victory parade came nearly three months after the Boston Red Sox won the 2018 World Series. No doubt, I'm pretty sure Bostonians are used to having a victory parade on a yearly basis.

+ Chinese immigration to the United States first began in the 1840s when news of the California Gold Rush reached across the world, attracting many prospectors to work in mines and railroads. Even though many of these Chinese immigrants intended to head back to China after gaining success in America, some ended up staying and starting their own businesses in what became known as the first Chinatowns. Even though the U.S. government welcomed these Chinese immigrants as a cheap source of labor, there was an antagonism toward them due to economic competition and cultural differences.

- In 1859, Chinese immigrants in San Francisco celebrated Chinese New Year with a colorful parade featuring flags, banners, lanterns, drums, and firecrackers; such a celebration wasn't done in China before. The parade helped bridge the culture gap by combining American and Chinese cultures into something both can love and celebrate. Since the first San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade, the event continued to be hosted annually as one of the oldest and largest Chinese New Year celebrations outside China.

+ As a Cambodian American of Chinese descent, my family, my relatives, and I usually spend Chinese New Year eating at a restaurant in Chinatown, Houston. Below is a short video of a lion dance I filmed while our table waited for our food to be served (by the way, I was standing on a chair while filming this because short people problems).

https://youtu.be/i6IA3-bjwaQ

- Below is what my family ordered for the entire table (this was before the chefs added an extra plate of stir-fried lobster to our already crowded table). As one may infer from the picture, my family follow the 'Everything-is-bigger-in-Texas' mindset and has a preference for anything fried. We're also guilty when it comes to over-ordering food (all of it was good though). But don't worry, my family ate all twelve boxes full of leftovers for the next couple of days, so nothing goes to waste. Anyway, Happy New Year to all my readers who read this during Chinese New Year! 🐷

~

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