Mahjong Nails: Prosperity and Good Fortune at my Fingertips
If thereβs only one time of the year to play mahjong, itβs during Chinese New Year.
In fact, itβs the only game youβll see played during these celebrations. With a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols, its social yet competitive nature makes it a perfect activity for reuniting with families and friends during this festive season. After all, what better way to ring in prosperity and good fortune than with a mahjong gameβs click-clack (and, ahem, emotive exclamations)? Whether you play for fun or stakes, itβs undeniable that mahjong is a much-loved part of many Asian familiesβ celebrations.
My family rarely plays mahjong, and Iβm lousy at it. We have a saying in Chinese calling slow mahjong players βstation chiefsβ (η«ι·) because the game stops every time itβs their turn, and they take forever to fiddle with their tiles, figuring out what to discard. I definitely fall into that category.
But that has not stopped me from adding good omens to my fingertips. I found cute nail stickers of the three suits (Characters θ¬ε, Bamboo η΄’ε, Dots ηε) and other loose mahjong tiles (δΈηΌη½) online that would save my manicurist the nightmare of drawing any of them. Since the tiles came in the primary colours red, green and blue, we added matching borders and gold flecks for an extra dash of bling.
These nails may have been my flashiest set yet, and any serious mahjong player will tell you these misfits are useless in any practical game (they donβt even fit into the 13 Orphans). But I wonβt deny they were good for laughs and super fun while they lasted.
Hereβs to lots of luck and joy for your Chinese New Year!
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