Chinese New Year, a tradition celebrated by the Chinese centuries ago, until this very day. It is often referred as the “Lunar New Year” due to the Chinese calendar being lunisolar, meaning dependant on the motions of both moon and Sun. Every year, the Chinese race will look forward to Chinese New Year and here are some reasons why.
1. Chinese New Year Cookies
Expect a sudden pile up of tin cans or plastic containers filled with those delicious treats in your kitchen. Honeycomb, ngaku, pineapple tarts, cornflake cookies, almond cookies, kuih bangkit and the lists go on! A must to mention, are LOVE LETTERS (not the romance on paper kind).
There will always be two types of people; ones who prefer triangle love letters, and ones who prefer rolled ones.
I, for one, prefer them rolled. Only because it makes me feel badass.
2. Angpaus
If this applies to you, it’s obvious, you’re not married. Embrace the single life and engage in as many open houses as you can, thanking everyone for the red packet they hand to you.
However, if you’re a kid or teen, and this point still doesn’t apply to you, then you are in a situation called “parents-say-help-you-keep-in-bank-but-you-know-that-isnt-true”.
3. Gambling
Hoping for an increase in pocket money? With any open house, there is bound to be people playing black jack, chor dai di, in between, ngau etc.
But if you end up losing a few, there will always the comfort of thinking “I have some more angpao to collect”. Just be sure to limit yourself and spend within your means.
4. Holidays
Doesn’t matter if you’re studying or working, it’s the time of year again where you can kick back at home and relax because of PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.
Some people will be travelling back to their hometown. Dreaded or not, this is the time to ber-bonding with your family and relatives. Time is made up with awkward talks with adult relatives asking the same thing every year: whether if you have a girlfriend/boyfriend, when are you getting married and how your studies are going. Then, the adults (usually aunties) will sit in a pack, humbly bragging about their children, husband and life.
However, the hundreds of delicious and cheap hometown food makes it all worthwhile.
Ofcourse, there are also the people who spend their holiday travelling. Japan, Korea, Bangkok, you name it. Angpaos are spent on overseas shopping, pictures are constantly updated to show off how amazing it is, while you are just sitting there, at home. When they finally come home, they buy you a lousy postcard or keychain.
5. Open House
Invites to an open house are the best. I mean, free food, drinks, angpaos, mingling, and not to mention, the free flow of beers. Whoa, better than going club wei.
If you’re an awkward potato, join people in their card games, or even start one yourself. If you’re still awkward, just down a few cans, you’ll be sure to make new friends by the end of the night!
