Gong Xi Fa Cai

Chinatown

Harbourfront mall display

I love seeing how Chinese New Year shapes up and eventually gets celebrated here in Singapore. I was overseas last year and really didn't pay much attention to it. This year though, I have anticipated it as much as the locals -- from buying CNY snacks to watching the CNY countdown.

The more I stay here, the more I realise how enriching Chinese culture is. Maybe I was Chinese in my past life.

The emperor's new clothes and love letters (egg roll popular during CNY)

There are a few interesting things about CNY that I picked up from Chinese friends over the past several weeks:

1) The 1st day is usually spent with the family; the 2nd day with friends

2) You should wear new clothes on CNY.

3) Families have steamboat meals (and I assume with unlimited supply of ingredients) so they don't need to prepare food extensively for visitors

4) Red packets are handed out to children and unmarried people for good luck.

5) Pineapple tarts are a favorite snack commonly sold during this time.

6) Waiting in a queue for several minutes to buy BBQ pork is worth it.

7) You cannot sweep during the 1st day; otherwise, it is like sweeping luck and good fortune away.

8) Two (2) pieces of mandarin oranges are given to the host during your visit. (I learned from a lady at the supermarket that the heavier the mandarin orange, the better as it has more water).

9) You can't buy books (the word for "book" is a homonym to the word "lose) and shoes (word "shoes" is a homophone for the word for "evil" in Mandarin).

10) There is actually a set of "Chinese New Year" songs that people are familiar with. These are played in shopping malls and in households. I won't be surprised if I can find them at KTV.

I guess the only drawback during CNY is that most of the establishments are closed. However, there is still hope that some shops are open. I will check when I go out of the house later.

I leave you with a photo of a "lo hei" where people would toss ingredients of raw fish salad after reciting some Chinese good luck chants.

Yusheng (raw fish salad)
Typical ingredients: fresh salmon , daikon (white radish), carrot, red pepper (capsicum), ginger, daun limau nipis (leaves from lime tree), Chinese parsley, chopped peanuts , toasted sesame seeds , Chinese shrimp crackers (or fried dried shrimp), five spice powder. The dressing is made primarily from plum sauce