Chinese New Year

This must be the most important day for us Chinese, so important people would rush down all the way from one state to another just to be able to reach their hometown in the fastest time. This is a special day for chinese ass it also symbolize the end of a year and the beginning of a new one. People who works in major cities such as Kuala Lumpur will be travelling back home a day or two before the main day, bringing gifts or hampers for their family. 过年 is the term for passing the old year and 拜年 is the term to welcome the new year.

Kuan Yin Teng Temple, GeorgeTown

I live in Penang, Malaysia. A place people used to call it Pearl of the Orient and it was an island in the upper coast of the Peninsular Malaysia. Penangites (what we call ourselves). Why do we call the island such an awesome place? I believe it must be an awesome island you need to visit in order to tell it then.

I need not to travel as I stays in the island and works there with my family. So it means I don't need to spend time travelling and stuck in the awful traffic jam on the highway. The major highway in Malaysia will definitely be very jam during the festive season and people will try to avoid them by departing early of the day or travelling days before the main day.

People would also need to prepare their new cloth as well for this special day so shopping before the day is very important as well. The preferred color for the new year is definitely 'Red' as it symbolize the property and the atmosphere of Chinese New Year.

The Dinner

In the Chinese tradition, family members will gather for a reunion dinner day before the main day. This has been a tradition long time ago since our ancestor's time, the dinner will be served with dishes prepared by the female members of the family. I am a Hakka descendant so the dishes will also be more Hakka-oriented which will usually include Braised Pork Knuckle and Oyster Wrapped in Pork Lard. Some modern family members today may also have their dinner in a restaurant instead and this is very common today.

When the dishes are ready, family members will gather and we will start eating all the food prepared while sharing all their thoughts and experience. So talking during the dinner is encouraged :)

The Big Day - 初一

Starting from the big day, there will be a lot of restriction that cannot be done such as sweeping the floor, trimming one's hair and others. These kind of restriction has long been passed down by our ancestor and it is told that doing these will brings bad luck or takes away the good fortune of the year. So we have been thought not to do it since we were young and pass it down to our next generation. Superstitious or what we will just follow it then :P.

New cloth will be worn this day, we will be definitely getting our first red packet from our parents since they were the closest to us. The red packet given by our parent is also known as ‘压岁钱’, a red packet given by the elders to the young one for them to bring the good fortune in and takes away the bad one. 

Red Packet - Thanks to GemFive

Only married couple or elders would give red packet and not everyone is giving. Perhaps it is a sign of growing up to be an adult. Traditionally, the young would need to serve tea to the elder to get the AngPows (red packet) but it is rarely seen nowadays.

Second Day - 初二

The second day of Chinese New Year will be the day where the female members of the family are allowed to return to the family for a visit and we do this every year (thanks to the Steamboat, keke). The visit of the relatives will also starts today, people will visit each other and gets the red packets as they visit them. basket of mandarin oranges will be exchanged as a sign of appreciation and congratulates one for celebrating new year. 

The Day After That

Chinese new year can last for a long time but people will usually stops after the 3rd day and some do start working already. Although the celebration may have been stopped, but the spirit is still there for all the Chinese !

Last but not least, I would like to wish all the Chinese around the globe Happy Chinese New Year and may the luck be with you all the yearn

Heng ah ! Huat ah ! Ong Ah !

Ciao !