Morning after the ringing in of the New Year saw many people still buzzing from the night before. I for one was also recovering but from the form of too much alcohol and heading to McDonalds. The sun was blazing as if it was on display in an international flower show, even though there was a blowing cold winds present. Winter was still here and the small presence of spring was nowhere insight.

Walking the streets, I could see the abundant mess of confetti and the remnants of the previous night’s fireworks gala. The street cleaners were out in full force like they were marching in a parade, except there was no parade and the people passing by just focusing on the direction of travel. While on my way to the shopping mall, I couldn’t help to think back about the night and how the black sky was full of color and the erupting sounds of the fireworks banging as they lifted and exploded in the sky.

It was a cold night but felt warm with the vision of happiness floating around the crowd and the overhead of color. Many Chinese were shouting and laughing and I even found out that the sign of lighting fireworks was to scare away the evil spirits.

The walk seemed to last for ever as my head was slowly recovering from the freshness of the wind blowing, while my stomach was still a little unsettle. I could see McDonalds and its famous ‘golden arches’. ‘Everything was going to be OK’. Entering the mall entrance, you could see the heads of people everywhere buying the left over stock from the previous day. The scene was that of back home at Christmas time, when everyone would take back their very unwanted gift and exchange it for something they liked, while shopping for bargins to stock at Christmas the following year.

As the array of words were being shouted out in great loudness, the specials being loudly presented on cardboard banners and the crowds pushing to grab that last minute saving of one Yuan, I was quickly thinking of my mission.
Pushing through and making my way with the present smell of French fries lingering and guiding me to the entrance, I was eager to eat. The aroma quickly satisfied my senses and my hunger to recover soon became reality as time passed.

* * * * *

With this being the new Chinese New Year day, it was time for some urgent shopping that consisted of clothes, clothes and more clothes. Out with the old and in with the new was definitely a must. Wondering around the department store was entertaining and I was having the sensation of being in a maze made of hedge trees that showed nothing but green, except the store was set up in a maze like fashion of disarray items and a sea of people visible.

Being in China for nearly a full year now, I was quite comfortable with a lot of customs and had a small understanding of the shopping system. Firstly, it was important to try as many clothes as possible as the tag read ‘M’, but it clearly wasn’t and ‘SM’ would have been more appropriate. Secondly, the color range and availability was limited as overstocking was not a high priority either and thirdly was the check-out system. This was once again a free-for-all concept, where you just placed your item on the counter and wait your turn. I felt that order and structure was a thing of the past and over taken by the first in-first serve rule.

The saying of ‘out with the old and in with the new’ was definitely the best way to shop on a day that had everyone wanting to grab the best deal or deals for the New Year.

I for one was going to be part of that concept and custom.