As we grow older, we find that Chinese New Year… isn’t quite like how it used to be. There seem to be a certain something that’s lacking from it.
Well, one Malaysian guy known as Jordan thought the same and wrote a post on why we might be feeling the way we are.
He writes,
“I see people saying that nowadays, there’s no longer that Chinese new year vibe. Do you guys know why there’s no ‘feel’ to it anymore?
“When you were younger, your mom and dad would bring you to shop for new clothes. They’d only allow you to wear it on new year’s day itself. But now, you shop anytime you want, you receive parcels from online shopping… So there’s nothing special about getting new clothes except for the little ‘extra’ number of clothes during Chinese New Year.
“Last time during Chinese new year, parents would bring you to open houses. Your pockets would be filled with sweets and red envelopes. But now, at this not-young-nor-old age, you’re not as interested in sweets anymore and red envelopes that you receive is also getting lesser.
“Last time, you are your grandmother and grandfather’s beloved grandchild. Now, relatives are slowly drifting apart, while there’s more little kids that you’ll need to look after.
“Last time, your relatives are all together and everyone would be playing fire crackers. Now, you stare at your phone, going on Facebook while creating small talk as a way to countdown the new year.
“It’s not that the new year vibe has disappeared. It’s just the current age you’re in. As kids, they can play with firecrackers and eat candy all day; for old folks, they are happy when the hall is filled with people having reunion dinner. As for us, we help out with the house chores so the kids will be happy while the elderlies can rest.
“The new year ‘feel’ is not lost. It’s just that we’ve changed. Growing up, we have more burden on our shoulder, more responsibilities that will always be on our minds. We can not be like how we used to be as a child, to only know how to eat and play, with nothing else to think nor worry about.
“To be able to feel the new year vibe or not, it only boils down to the word ‘happiness’. As long as you’re happy, every day will be just like new years.”
