[tag]Chinese New Year[/tag] is only a few weeks away, so my table calendar tells me. I dunno, maybe everyone is still in the Christmas-New Year-Hari Raya Haji mood, the usual festivity that surrounds the Lunar new year seem to be missing.
I only realize that Chinese New Year was near when I was in Cold Storage today and they were playing ‘Chai Shen Dao’ (‘Here comes the [tag]God of Prosperity[/tag]’. Yeah, I know it sounds funny in English) over the PA system. It’s a bit surreal, me standing along the aisle, between the gwailo expats shopping for cream cheese…
Anyway, this new year is gonna be a little different for me, I won’t be going home to mom and pop this year, there isn’t any room for my family there. Besides, my folks don’t really celebrate CNY, especially since the earlier generation has passed on. Anyway, what remnants of my old room has now been packed off in dull, brown cardboard boxes somewhere at the back of the house. So I’m thinking of going to my in-laws for the actual new year, then probably take a day or two off on a calm holiday somewhere without the maddening crowds.
Anywhere, here are ten things I usually associate with Chinese New Year, maybe due to past memories. It may or may not apply to anyone else, it’s kind of a personal experience thing:
- BBQ meat (red, black and oily)
- Cherry blossoms in the living room.
- Limau nipis (lime) tree in a potted plant in the porch.
- Endless singing and dancing programs in Cantonese and Mandarin on TV.
- Pineapple tarts. Small ones and the big, hard nyonya types.
- Reruns of old [tag]Jacky Chan[/tag] / [tag]Stephen Chow[/tag] / [tag]Jet Li[/tag] movies.
- One new shirt, which we wore on the first day. But most years we never got any new clothes.
- Sally Yeh / Andy Lau / Jacky Cheung in concert. On TV2. Second day of New Year.
- Visiting old people, who keep asking me what my name is, and telling me how much I have grown.
- Early morning [tag]ang pow[/tag] from parents and grandparents… Those were the days.
13 Comments
mahagurusia
sniff…. *
lilian
Awww…borrow sleeve from mahagurusia and snorrrttt.
Hey, we are Chinese so must celebrate big time. Mahjong, 21, ginrummy, si rummy….Shandy, red firecrackers thrown at the neighbour’s dog…..Okok, I go back to my own blog and blog.
BTW, it is good to visit your parents, Simon. No excuse. *cabut fast fast*
yuin
yeah! chap kut time!
Kuzco
Simon ah Simon, big boi ledi… how many kids ledi?
Wingz
eh whats your name ledi ? boy oh boy look how much u grown!! lol
mudslinger
my old neighbour used to tie little red ribbons on all her limau nipis potted plants. they looked really nice.
eh, what about kuih kapit? no kuih kapit ah?
anjali*
Aiyo. What I hated most is the tong-tong-chiang music. After a while, they all sound the same…
u forgot. TV2 will also show the small girls ala Spice Girls singing and dancing in unison to all the CNY songs. Beh tahan!
Ken
Last week I went to a shop selling house decor and went to look at the fake, long, red firecrackers. Suddenly, it gave out “pak-pak-pak-pakpak-pak-pakpakpak” sound effect as loud as a real one going off. Gave the kid nearby a fright. He cried.
Lian
Always got my ang pow during the new year’s eve dinner. Growing up, first day of New Year was always on the golf course. Well, Kong Hee Fatt Choy and happy holidays.
simon
glad to share the spirit of New Year with everyone!
mudslinger – my mom used to make kuih kapit to sell!
nite
agree not much CNY mood but there is this shop in Pearl Point airing Sam Hui’s CNY song even before Christmas!! 😛
hcfoo
There’s no CNY without mahjong, playing cards, Shandy and pineapple tarts.
Ken
Pineapple tarts… YUM! My favourite CNY tit bit!