Taiwan aglow for new year

Right now, in a little Taiwanese city called Feng Yuan, there is a giant statue of Mickey Mouse that's causing a traffic jam.

He appeared only a few days ago, making his debut about a week before the last day of the Chinese New Year. Mickey is illuminated from the inside by 100 tiny light bulbs and surrounded by a luminous "Magic Kingdom" of like characters.

Everything from Dumbo to Nemo has been painstakingly constructed and placed on display to produce a whole world of glowing animation, with Disney scores pumping through loudspeakers in the background.

It's a remarkable resemblance to the actual theme park — if it were on fire.

Except I'm sure that Disney Inc. has no idea about the homage being paid to them.

So this is the lantern festival. The culminating event of 15 days of Lunar New Year fun.

I don't know what else I thought it would be. Maybe a paper dragon floating down a confetti-strewn street or children carrying baubles of light.

This is more like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, minus the obvious differences.

As a foreigner in Taiwan for the Lunar (Chinese) New Year, I've been fascinated by some of the strange things happening around me; strange because I'm a stranger. I was curious about the meaning behind some traditions that I have observed, so I asked my Taiwanese friend, "What is the lantern festival? What do those Disney characters mean?"

She didn't know. She said she'd look it up and get back to me. What more could I expect?

I don't know the connection behind the Macy's parade on Thanksgiving, either. It's only natural.

But so many customs surrounding the New Year have carried on in spite of a lack of awareness to the deeper meaning. It's tradition.

For example, on the first day of the New Year, sons always return home to their parents' house for dinner. It's a symbol of family togetherness.

On the second and third day, friends don't come to visit, only family. Otherwise, it's bad luck on both parties. If one wants to wish prosperity to one's friends, a good gift to give is a tangerine, with the leaves still attached. They're sold at fruit markets everywhere.

I should mention that cleaning doesn't happen after the first day, for fear that good luck might be swept away. And complimentary candy bowls are placed in every house and business establishment to wish visitors a sweet year.

It's a bit more altruistic than Halloween, but I've seen some people eyeing those bowls with the familiar gluttony of a 7-year-old kid dressed like a superhero on Oct. 31.

Every day of the New Year has a purpose, a mode of celebration. But one thing runs as a common theme throughout all 15 days, and that is a sheer love of families.

And, of course, explosives.