Even though the atmosphere of Chinese New Year celebration (this is the year of cute rat) here in America is promoted by few timely festivities, it still helps to evoke my memories about the joyous street fun and family warmth when I grew up...... After the new year eve's big meal, hot Lun-gen (i.e. dragon well) tea was a must to temper the sumptuous food. Then on new year morning, after dressing up in new red outfits, my sisters and I would line up in front of my parents for red envelops. There was always a glass of hot tea with gentle steam raising by my father's side. After the breakfast, we would accompany my father to a round of visits to friends and relatives for new year's greetings. The first thing the host would do upon our entering the house was preparing the best tea for my father. Then the conversations full of new year's plesantry followed...
"Social Intelligence" by Daniel Coleman brings out an interesting concept about positive social interactions as "vitamins for well-being". The author refers to quite a few pinoneering researches on the immune system's reactions to either positive or negative relations. In light of abundant reports about tea's benefits to health, what a nice idea to promote the social benefit of "tea drinking " as a "well-being vitamin "!
