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Wednesday, January 21, 2009
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Volume 3, Number 1
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Happy Lunar New Year!
 The Lunar New Year
begins on the first new moon of the new year. For many Asian
families in the Far East and around the world, the Lunar New
Year is a celebration of change. In China,
the Lunar New Year is also called the Spring
Festival. For the Vietnamese, Tết is the New
Year. The Koreans celebrate Solnal and
Losar is the Tibetan New Year.
According to the Chinese Zodiac,
the Year of 2009 is the Year of the Ox. The Ox, or the Buffalo sign
symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work. Those born under
the influence of the Ox or Buffalo are fortunate to be stable and
persevering. The typical Ox is a tolerant person with strong
character. Not many people could equal the resolution and fearlessness
that the Ox exhibits when deciding to accomplish a task. Ox people
work hard without complaints at work or at home. They know that they
will succeed through hard work and sustained efforts, and do not
believe in get-rich-quick schemes.
The Lunar New Year is a celebration of change. The New Year rings in all of the good and ends all of the bad. It
is a time to renew ourselves. More importantly, the Lunar New Year brings us hope. What are you hoping for in this New Year? Whatever it is, we hope that you
will find it in the Year of the Ox.
Best Wishes for a Happy,
Healthy & Prosperous New Year!
Dr. Dane Hoang & Staff
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Lunar New Year Quiz
Win $88 Gift Certificate To P.F. Chang's China Bistro
Take part in our celebration of the New Year and answer these questions! Print out the quiz below and enter in our contest! (Hint: Google is your friend!)
 click above for PDF form
The correct entries will be entered into a random drawing. Three winners will receive gift certificates valued at $88 each to P.F Chang's China Bistro. Please fax completed entries to 972-808-9601 by 4:00pm January 29. Winners and answers will be posted on our website at
www.childrens-dental-care.com on Friday, January 30, 2009.
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Fun Facts About Customs and Taboos of Lunar New Year
These customs come from traditions passed from generation to generation and have become standard. Because of the idea that the beginning will affect the middle and the end of the year, Vietnamese people avoid doing bad things and try to do good things during Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday.
Dos
1. One should give people lucky presents to enhance the relationship between themselves and others: new clothes, peach branches (for expelling evil), new rice (wishing for being well-fed), rice wine in a gourd (wishing for a rich and comfortable life), bánh chưng (or bánh tét) and bánh dày which symbolize sky and earth (for worshipping the ancestors), red things (red symbolizes happiness, luckiness, advantages) like watermelon, dogs (the bark - gâu gâu - sounds like the word giàu - richness in Vietnamese language), medicated oil (dầu in Vietnamese, also sounds similar to giàu).
2. One should give lucky Dong Ho Paintings such as: "Gà đàn" (wishing for having many children), or "Vinh hoa", but should not give unlucky Dong Ho paintings like "Đánh ghen" related to legal proceedings.
3. One should buy a lot of water for Tết, because people wish for money to flow like water currents in a stream (proverb: "Tiền vô như nước").
4. One should sprinkle lime powder around the house to expel evil.
5. One should return all things borrowed, and pay debts before Tết.
6. Go gambling after you are done with the festivities.
Don'ts
1. One shouldn't say or do bad things during Tết.
2. One shouldn't hurt or kill animals or plants but should set them free. The reason for this originates from Buddhism's causality.
3. One shouldn't sweep the house or empty out the rubbish to avoid luck and benefits going with it, especially on the first day of the new year. One shouldn't let the broom in confusion if people don't want it to be stolen.
4. One shouldn't give these presents to others: clock or watch (the recipient's time is going to pass), cats (mèo in Vietnamese language pronounced like nghèo, poverty), medicine (the receiver will get ill), cuttle fish (its ink is black, an unlucky colour), writing ink (for the same reason), scissors or knives (they bring incompatibility).
5. One shouldn't have duck meat because it brings unluckiness.
6. One shouldn't have shrimp in case one would move backwards like shrimp, in other words, one would not succeed.
7. One shouldn't buy or wear white clothes because white is the color of funerals in Vietnam.
8. One shouldn't let the rice-hulling mill go empty because it symbolizes failed crops.
9. One shouldn't refuse anything others give or wish you during Tết.
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Upcoming Events/News:
January 2009
January 22-24 The Southwest Dental Conference
is held annually at the Dallas Convention Center. Our
offices will be closed on January 22 and 23 so that the entire staff may
attend the Southwest Dental Conference. Dr. Dane Hoang and Dr. Carmen Smith will serve as the 2009 Host/Information Committee Co-Chairs at the conference.
February 2009
February is Dental Health month. Our resident Tooth Fairy,
Stacy, will be in action this month so if you are interested in having
her come to your child's school to be a guest speaker, please let us
and your child's school nurse know. You can contact our Tooth Fairy at 972.808.9600. Our Tooth Fairy is scheduled to visit the following schools:
February 2 Schell Elementary
February 9 Carver Elementary
February 16 Primrose of Breckenridge
February 27 Shorehaven Elementary
March 2009-April 2009
March 19 - April 5 Dr. Dane will be joining Dr. Daniel Taub and Dr. Mike Gioffre, Jr. on her second dental mission in Hue, Vietnam with Operation Smile.
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9788 Walnut Street, Ste 100 | Dallas | TX | 75243 | tel: 972.234.4500 | fax: 972.234.4562
4011 E. Renner Road, Ste 108 | Richardson| TX | 75082 | tel: 972.808.9600 | fax: 972.808.9601
www.childrens-dental-care.com
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©2009, Children's Dental Care. All rights reserved.
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