• The host of a Chinese banquet offers the first toast. If you don't drink alcohol, it is acceptable to toast with a soft drink, glass of juice or mineral water.
  
• Two popular Chinese toasts are ganbei, "Bottoms up!"' and kai wei, "Starting the appetite!"
  
• Canned lychees can be found in most Asian specialty stores.
  
• Longevity buns are filled with either red bean or lotus seed paste.
  
• Avoid white flowers for celebratory dinners because they represent death in Chinese culture.

Resources

Wing Hop Fung, Chinese herbs and gifts
Los Angeles
800-239-6888
Cost: Bamboo stalks, 98 cents each; Budda, $29; 8-sided mirror, $5
www.winghopfung.com

Phoenix Bakery
Los Angeles
213-628-4642
Cost: Laughing Mouth cookies, $13/dozen

Gilly Flowers and Events, Silverlake
3936 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-953-2910

Christian Tse, Chinese jewelry design
55 Waverly Dr # 108
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-577-9288