The house was decorated like a Chinese teahouse with red lanterns, wind-chimes and other Chinese good-luck decorations. On one of the tables was a basket, where we could put our ang-bao, or red envelopes containing money, meant as donations for the less fortunate children, for Chinese New Year is after all a feast for the younger generation.

Hans had prepared the most delicious meal, a very traditional Chinese New Year meal, as the people from Jakarta used to enjoy. He had made many dishes with steamed fish as the closing dish. Fish is a must for every New Year's dinner, because fish in Chinese has the same sound as abundance. Peter had donated the desert, bird's nest cooked with rock sugar, dried fruits and lotus seeds.

Before the meal, we formed a circle and holding hands we pledged that we will not tell anybody else about this secret party and that we will repeat it again every year as long as New Year's celebrations outside the home was banned.

After the meal, we paraded in front of a jury to decide about the most "Chinese" dress. David dressed like a movie star from a Kung-fu movie won the price for men, but the jury had difficulties to decide the first prize for women: Vivian, who was dressed like Susie Wong or Tanya who was dressed like the Empress Dowager. The rest of the evening was spent dancing, singing and drinking wine and then we wrapped ourselves up again in our black garb to go home.

We celebrated again every year as promised, until in 1996 Vivian announced that she would not be in town, because Chinese New Year coincided with Idul Fitri, the end of the fasting month of the Muslims. "I am going to Hongkong," she said. "My servants are all going to their villages and I will have no domestic help for a week or two. In Hongkong I will not only enjoy daily service in the hotel, but I will also be able to see the New Year procession there."

Others also left for the same reason to different places like Singapore, Beijing and even San Francisco. But Tanya did not join the party, because had to stay at home. "All my servants are gone," she complained, "I can't leave the house and come back after midnight, because there is nobody to open the gate of my house."

That went on for three years but in 1999 there were mixed feelings about a celebration. There was again an exodus of people who wanted to celebrate elsewhere and additionally there were feelings of "who knows what would happen. Riots maybe like May '98 or maybe even worse?" Such were the rumors and since people seemed to be living on rumors only in those days, again there was no celebration.

It was in the year 2000 that Chinese New Year was allowed again, following a Presidential decree. We could see the lion dance and the dragon dance ushered in the Year of the Dragon. It was then that we had our celebration again. There was no need anymore to cover our dress with a black wrap, so we walked proudly in our outfit. For the first time some women wore the kabaya encim, the kabaya in the style of the Chinese Indonesians and the men in the baju koko, the dress for the men. Not only was this style in fashion again, but it was also an attempt of the women and men to show their identity. I must admit that this style is very elegant indeed.

There was also no more need to repeat our vow, so that part of the program was skipped. Firecrackers brightened up our evening, but we had to talk and sing louder in order to be heard.

We did not stop at this celebration only, everywhere in town the Chinese celebrated their New Year and we saw the barongsay (lion dance) many, many in hotels, in shopping malls, and in the Chinese temples. We were sure that from then on, Chinese New Year would be celebrated again in style as it used to be in Indonesia.

But no, the warning signal came with Christmas eve, bombs were placed in several places near churches. Will the terrorists strike again on Chinese New Year? Many people are scared again. Flights to Singapore, Hongkong and Bali are fully booked and so are the hotels in those places for that week.

I can't blame them, I too would rather hear the sound of fire-crackers than the sound of bombs. …..