With the help of her assistants (Amy, Carol, Wil) Poh Poh officially rang in the Year of the Tiger by making a money tree, setting out offerings to ancestors, and burning ceremonial money. The money tree is made from dried vermicelli. The first step is to cut or rip off a small chunk and then tie it around the middle with a piece of string. Then, deep fry the vermicelli in very hot oil. The oil must be sufficiently hot before, otherwise the “tree” won’t puff up nicely. Finally, tie a piece of red paper around the vermicelli and stand it up on a small plate or bowl. The ceremonial money (or gold bar) is made by folding together 8 pieces of special paper into a four sided structure (see photo). The offerings typically consist of a few bowls of rice (shaped into nice pointy piles), a plate of “jai” (vegetarian dish), and cups of tea.
Money Tree
CNY Offerings
