Today is the start of yet another annual two-week celebration for the Lunar/Chinese New Year Spring Festival… For 2024, the Year of the Water-Dragon.

Here’s a link to have fun learning how to say “Happy New Year’ in several Asian languages.  (Also at https://medium.com/gateway-series/lunar-chinese-new-year-greetings-cb4c455002e)

Bottom-Line Etiquette: Being of Cantonese-speaking heritage, it would be ideal for you to learn how to say Happy New Year in Cantonese versus (albeit acceptable) to greet me in Mandarin.

Learning to share greetings properly in a person’s language is the best way to display “advanced etiquette.” When you can adapt and greet someone in their language, it shows how well educated you are and how much you care to be their friend.  Many people know how to say on 1 January:  “Bonne Année” to someone from France; “Frohes Neues Jahr” to someone of German heritage; and “Buon Anno” to a person who is Italian. Why not have more fun adding a few Asian languages to your vocabulary.

Now, here are two articles shared each year as reminders of how to enjoy this fun holiday to the fullest:

Chinese New Year Etiquette(Also at https://www.advancedetiquette.com/international/chinese-new-year-etiquette/

10 Tips on Chinese Table Manners(Also at https://www.advancedetiquette.com/cultural-awareness/10-tips-on-chinese-table-manners/

Happy Practicing!

Here’s wishing you and all Gung Hay Fat Choy! Sun Neen Fai Lok!

Just to share:  As I’m sitting here writing this post, I just had a fun daydream I wish could come true. I wish I could someday meet each person who views and likes this post, either via video conferencing or in person.

My dream is to develop personal friendships—in even the smallest ways with each of you—my online viewers, Advanced Etiquette subscribers, clients, and customers.  I want to be your personal Etiquette Coach, Trainer, Confidant, and Mentor; with the result, individually and collectively, we can create a better world in which to live, no matter where you are in the world.

As I enter this New Year with renewed energy and enthusiasm to develop new and innovative ways to be service, I invite you, and everyone you know (and if you aren’t already subscribed), to please log onto www.AdvancedEtiquette.com/subscribe to become a part of our happy family of worldwide subscribers.  The outcome over time being we will become the paradigm shift we all dream about, to live life with etiquette and civility.

Boy! Wouldn’t this be way too awesome?  If you agree, post your comments below.  If you don’t agree, don’t bother to write.

I believe in the power of positive thinking, which is also the title of a book by Norman Vincent Peale. What makes the difference in a dream remaining a dream, or becoming true, is all about the effort to set and implement the “right plans and SMART* goals” to make the dream become reality. I know I may not make my dream become a global reality, yet I do believe I will make it a reality within my small sphere of influence, among people like you.

*SMART means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reachable, Time-activated.  If any one of these items is not fulfilled, the chances of not reaching the goal become greater.

Happy Practicing!