Dear Aunt Mei,
My parents will celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary on October 12, and we are planning a small celebration at Riverside Hall. Nothing formal: no long speeches and no hired symphony orchestra, just good food and old photographs on the wall.
The short ceremony starts at six, but please come at five if you can. Uncle Wen wants to show everyone the portrait he painted of them last winter.
Could you let me know before the end of September whether you can come? The hall needs to know how many guests to expect. If driving that far worries you, my brother will gladly pick you up.
Love,
Ting
Autumn Lantern Parade — Saturday, November 18
Members of the Neighborhood Association will wear yellow hats. Ask them if you lose a child or need first aid. Light rain will not stop the event, but strong wind may postpone it to the following Saturday.
Greetings differ far more than travelers expect. In parts of southern Europe friends touch cheeks twice when they meet; a few hours down the road, three times is normal. Get the number wrong and you may watch a stranger blush.
Northern Europeans often prefer a short handshake, while in much of East Asia a small bow is the conventional greeting. None of these habits is more correct than the others; each is simply a local convention learned in childhood.
Visitors worry far too much about such mistakes. Watch what the people around you do, copy it, and smile. Curiosity, not perfect manners, is what a guest is remembered for.
A magazine asked 500 readers to choose the one thing they enjoy most during the New Year holiday.
| Activity | City readers | Country readers |
|---|---|---|
| Watching the parade | 36% | 15% |
| Eating with family | 27% | 44% |
| Visiting a temple | 21% | 30% |
| Traveling abroad | 16% | 11% |
Each reader chose one answer only. The survey was carried out last January.