7 Unwritten Rules of Chinese New Year All Malaysians Know Too Well

Can you believe we’re almost halfway through January and Chinese New Year is coming up?! OMG! Where has the time gone? For those of us who are still single, it’s an exciting time. But for those of us who are married, it’s time to start packing those ang paos! Pack one for admin too if you don’t mind. 😛

And with Chinese New Year around the corner, I’m sure we’re all well aware of the superstitions as well as do’s and don’ts that come with this festive season including things like “don’t sweep the house on the first day”, “don’t give out RM4 or RM14 ang paos“, and so forth. Well, while we’re all pros at this by now, did you know there are also a ton of unwritten and unspoken rules that come with celebrating Chinese New Year in Malaysia? Here are some you better know:

1. Your car must always be cleaned, serviced, and polished before you balik kampung

Source: supwavecar

You wouldn’t want your car to suddenly sei for while you’re on the highway back to your kampung now, would you? Most workshops would be closed during CNY too. Those that are open will charge you sky-high.

Apart from that, you’d want to impress your nosy relatives with a shiny, scratchless car too!

2. Those nostalgic karaoke-style CNY songs that were probably recorded in the 90’s should be playing on your TV

Whether you love or loathe these CNY songs, it’s a must to have them playing on your TV while people are visiting to really make it feel like CNY.

3. If you’re going to a relative’s place for a CNY meal, make sure you reach earlier and help out in the kitchen

Source: chrastly

Don’t just eat only!

For many of us, it’s a tradition to have one of our first CNY meals at either of our grandparents’ home where the aunties would prep the entire meal from scratch. These meal preps can start as early as 6am so make sure you give them a helping hand too!

4. You MUST don new and pretty clothing when visiting friends and family 

Source: chinesenewyear

It’s no wonder malls become exceptionally crowded before CNY. Everyone’s on a hunt to get themselves some CNY clothes that will make them look good and hopefully look much better than the cousins their aunties always compare them to.

Unfortunately, CNY shopping isn’t always a walk in the park. Where do we even start to look?! This is especially difficult for the guys who barely go shopping and have no idea what to get for themselves. Well, if this is you, we’ve got a pretty good suggestion that can help settle all your shopping needs!

And that suggestion comes in the form of Dockers!

Known for their smart casual and extremely fashionable styles, you’ll definitely be able to find something here. They also recently released a Chinese New Year collection that promises a style solution for any and every occasion; whether it’s an open house or fancy CNY dinner, they have it all, so you don’t have to worry about going on a wild goose chase to find different outfits. Stressful leh!

The best part is, if you visit their website, you’ll be able to check out their lookbooks for some CNY-inspired outfits before purchasing them in-stores. Check out some of the outfits below:

If you’re looking for something a little smarter, this outfit works too:

 

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A post shared by Dockers® Malaysia (@dockers.my) on Jan 1, 2020 at 7:02pm PST

So make sure you drop by a Dockers store before CNY this January!

5. Never show up at a CNY open house without some goodies

Source: chinainternshipplacements

Just some cookies, nga ku, or mandarin oranges will suffice. It’s the thought that counts but never go over empty-handed. Very rude leh!

6. Whether or not you plan to invite people over, your house better be equipped with CNY cookies, packet drinks and/or bak kwa

Source: bydeals

Paiseh leh if people suddenly come over and you have nothing to serve!

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. If nobody comes over, you can always indulge in those snacks yourself. 😛

7. Don’t forget to pack ang paos for the security guard, cleaning kakaks and/or rubbish collectors

Source: hrmasia

Depending on where you live (or work), your security guard or cleaners may (or may not) nudge you for an ang pao, especially if you’re married. Sometimes, if you live in a landed home, the rubbish collectors may even knock on your door asking for ang paos. And whether or not they ask you for one, since ang pao-giving is just an annual thing, don’t be so stingy lah, okay?

Well, that’s it for this list! Make sure you remember these unwritten rules and tell your friends about it! And if you’ve yet to do your CNY shopping, you know where to go. You’re welcome. 

Just make sure you don’t wait until the last minute to do your shopping or you might just miss out on all the good stuff! Find out more about Dockers here!