On July 9th, 2020, my father passed from cancer at the age of 82. He was a kind man who spoke little, helped others and loved his family deeply. I was my father's only child- a daddy's girl. I channeled my grief into a creative outlet because loss during the pandemic was isolating. This led to recreating a beloved game, a homage to my father.

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My father was the first of our family to immigrate to the United States in the 1970s. He then sponsored his family members and my mom's to start a new life. Growing up, everyone would come to our tiny studio apartment to celebrate the Lunar New Year because he was the eldest of our family. Prepping for the day usually started a week before: a lot of cleaning, organizing red envelopes and grocery shopping (using public transit). It was a lot of work to prepare for approximately 20 family members, but to see everyone together made it worthwhile. It is my favorite holiday because it is so family oriented. Although we have moved since and have a vehicle now to make grocery shopping easier, the number of family members has also increased.​

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Why Lucky Apricot? Every year, mom would buy apricot branches (cây mai) or peach branches (cây dao) in hopes they would blossom for the new year. If they did, she believed it would signify good luck for the entire year. My mother is my inspiration for Lucky Apricot, just as much as my father.

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Thank you for taking the time to read this. Thank you for supporting our family. Happy New Year from our family to yours!

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Sincerely,

Lucky Apricot