“Stressful preparation just for 3 days of gatherings” – S’porean Actor Says He’s Not a Fan of CNY

Tomorrow’s the big day for our Chinese friends across the world. Many of them have started taking days off from work, and some have started the spring cleaning many, many days ago, especially those who are anticipating guests for gatherings.

Singaporean actor and comedian, Henry Thia, however, admitted that he’s not a big fan of the celebration itself. Henry, who is 71  years old this year and was born in the year of the Dragon himself said that the celebration is full of long-term tedious work and preparation for a short-term of joy. 

“You know what? I actually don’t like Chinese New Year,” reported The Straits Times.

“It’s stressful and tiring”

Generally, the preparation for a festive season, be it CNY, Raya, Deepavali, or even Christmas is not an overnight thing. It involves a month-long preparation, including the planning of the menus, extending the invitation, and so on. It can be tedious, and it’s exactly why Henry dreads CNY every year.

“The preparation is so stressful and tiring. We have to spring clean our home,  queue for new notes, pack hongbao (Angpow), plan what to eat. All these just for 3 days of celebrations.”

For illustration purposes only

Henry continued and asked to make sure, “I’m not the only one who feels this way, right?”

Well, to those who are anticipating CNY tomorrow (February 10), what say you?

“Well, it’s our tradition and culture”

Henry’s take on CNY, however, has garnered mixed reactions among the netizens. Some could relate as to why Henry is not excited for the festive season, while others are sad to see a joyous celebration turned burdensome.

The cleaning and preparation part was unfortunately inevitable. We wouldn’t want to open our doors to the guests without being ready. However, are you still excited about the festive season? What’s your favorite part when it comes to a celebration?

In the meantime, you can catch the original trio Henry Thia, Mark Lee, and Jack Neo in their CNY Movie – Money No Enough 3, which is now released in Malaysian cinemas.

Also read: KL Friends “Bring Christmas Home” to Sarawakian Who Can’t Go Back to Celebrate With His Family