When local culture is stupid

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Kind of strange being a stranger in a strange land and observing the irony of:

  1. Taking one’s kid to a crowded temple to pray for her health, at which place she gets burned on the face by a stick of incense and develops a week-long cough triggered by all the choking clouds of incense indoors.

  2. Watching one’s in-laws throw “spirit money” into a flaming trashcan indoors to pray for the safety of the household in the coming year. With not even a fire extinguisher or bucket of sand nearby. (Last year I suggested this, and was dismissed as a silly foreigner with silly foreign ideas of fire safety.)

I am really glad Chinese New Year is over, 'cause sometimes, local culture is just stupid.

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In fact, if a mod passes by and has a free moment, could you help me out and change the thread title to: “When local culture is stupid” ?

Thanks. Xin Nian Kuai Le! Gong Xi Gong Xi! (gaah, blech)