Todd: So what exactly is Chinese New Year?

Santi: We celebrate once a year and it's just like the same as a New Year in Western countries, but we celebrate in ... like special ... different dates every year.

Todd: So it's a flexible calendar?

Santi: Yes. My grandmother knows it but I don't. And especially for dinner we have a special arrangement in the table, like seven ... well, seven is a lucky number so seven types of dishes and then we got like money from our elders.

Todd: You get money?

Santi: Yes, we get money but we don't get presents. We get money.

Todd: So when you get this money, what do you normally do with it? Like do they give you money and are you supposed to, like buy gifts, or are you supposed to put it away for savings?

Santi: I think they want us to just save the money in case like for rainy days and then ... but most of my cousins just spend it for buying things like clothes, bags, shoes, but in my family it's kind of different, so whenever I get money I just give it to my mother.

Todd: For your mom to keep for herself or for your mom to save for you?

Santi: I don't know. I'm not very good at money so it's better for me to just give it to my mother and she will allocate it.

Todd: Well, actually, I think that's also a Chinese tradion also in the United States where I think that Chinese families, isn't it custom for children actually to give their parents a portion of their money?

Santi: Yes

Todd: Which is actually, I think makes a lot of sense.

Santi: Well, because we trust our mother. We trust our parents beyond reason sometimes and I think it's good.

Todd: So always give a little money up?

Santi: Yes.

Todd: I agree. I agree. Although I hope my mom's not listening. She's gonna expect some money from me.

Santi: And I feel better whenever my mom just gives me money to spend it ... not my ... just my entire money and then I spend it. I feel awful.

Todd: Oh, cause you feel like you've contributed some as well.

Santi: Yes.

Todd: Good point.