A Chinese Tradition

Red egg and ginger parties have their origins in ancient Chinese culture. Prior to the medical advances of the twentieth century, infant mortality rates were quite high . A baby who reached one month of age was considered fortunate and likely to survive. And so, the baby's first month called for a celebration. The baby's name was also announced at this time.

Proud parents would introduce their latest addition to friends and relatives by holding a red egg and ginger party. Guests would be treated to a traditional Chinese banquet, often with a roast pig.

Guests usually brought gifts for the baby. Lysee or "lucky money" in red envelopes was given to the baby and represented future wealth and success. Parents handed out hard boiled, red-dyed eggs to each guest. The egg symbolized fertility and were red for good luck. Ginger was served to ward off evil spirits.

The Rooster

The Rooster is the strutting peacock of the Chinese Zodiac! These quick thinkers are practical and resourceful, preferring to stick to what is tried and true rather than taking messy, unnecessary risks. Roosters are keenly observant. It's hard to slip anything past a Rooster, since they seem to have eyes in the backs of their heads! This Sign enjoys a keen attention to detail that makes it a whiz at anything requiring close analysis. Roosters make great lawyers, brain surgeons and accountants. Above all else, the Rooster is very straightforward and rewards others' honesty in kind.

Roosters also expect to be in control of their surroundings, including whoever happens to be in those surroundings. Roosters keep an impeccably neat house and expect their lovers, housemates and family members to maintain the same high standards of dress and conduct as they do. This can cause problems with other, more relaxed types who just want to be accepted as is. The Rooster needs the right partner, one who understands this Sign's basically conservative nature. With the right person, the Rooster can be the most loyal, trusting and supportive mate around, one who bends over backward to please its loved ones. Some Signs may just end up feeling hen-pecked, however.

The Celebration

We celebrated Connor's red egg and ginger at the Four Seas in San Francisco Chinatown. The celebration consisted of roast pig, beef and broccoli, scallops and vegetables, fried chicken, and chow mein. The cake was made by Eastern Bakery, one of the oldest bakeries in the city. The cake was huge, but luckily I didn't have to carry it too far since the bakery was across the street. view pictures...