Chinese New Year, culture and tradition.

Let's talk a little fun -a little CNY.

The Yearly Family Reunion Dinner-Everyone heads home for the reunion of family members after a whole year away from home (many have relocate to the cities to find livelihood. They left their parents behind in the family home.) , yet others, the back breaking schedules of working for a living-no time for family and relationship.

This is a time, everyone comes home to a lavish reunion dinner to rekindle the family togetherness, the fostering of family ties, most of all to honour and pay respect to their elders. It is normally a joyous and noisy affair. Women would be in the kitchen preparing food and men their card and mah-jong games. It's a habit which has become tradition to "fatt choy" during the CNY. Of course, some "fatt" and went away smiling with wins and others good natured "glums" -small losses-all for the festive fun  !! Then there were the rounds of visiting -aunties, uncles, cousins, old friends.....Most family homes would be packed as sardines, but that's the joy of family coming together-to catch up on the going ons in each other's  lives and the strengthening of bonds.

The important ritual is the giving of angpow-that is the symbolic blessing , using the power of "red packet". In Chinese, Red is the colour of prosperity, so giving you a red packet (sum inside is immaterial) is a blessing of prosperity and goodness for your new year. The angpow is only given to children -the unmarried ( so if you're fifty and still single-you are considered a child) The angpows are given out by the elders in the family and the married couples.

TABOO: Single people -please don't mess around with angpows during CNY. If you assume the role of adults (married) while you'ree still  a child (single) you will remain a old maid. The same applies to the men.
Why? Cupid sees you giving out angpows and assume, you already have a spouse or a partner and so steer away from you. So watch out!!

FOOD-Let's talk food. It is tradition to prepare a variety of dishes meat, fish, prawns, vegetables, eggs, sea cucumber and fish miew prepared along the tune of prosperity. No small dishes please-they all MUST be overflowing big so that your new year will be filled with abundance-a symbol of "you have eaten, your stomach is full", and yet, there is still so much more for the new year. Chinese love the symbolic.

Most families would go for 8, 9 or 10 dishes. The eight (8) is "fatt" prosperity, success and everything good. The nine (9) symbolises enough -more than enough and 10 (ten) fulfillment of both the" fatt" and the enough- plus the contentment-a crowning of goodness for your new year.

The Day-First day of CNY-sweeten your mouth. Make sure no negative words  comes out of your mouth. No negative actions as well. It must be well lined with sugar and spice - radiant smiles and all things positive. First Day sets the trend for the rest of the year. So eat more sweets if you want your every step into the year to be filled with sweet smoothness!!.

The day normally starts with homage to God-Buddhist and Toaist will go to temple, Christians and other religions to their respective places of worship. Some people go veg-n act of purification of self to start the year clean. It is a family day when family stay in to welcome guests and visitors,  who come with  new year wishes and greetings.

To be continued.....