My Chinese New Year Eve
itunes: The Chinese Orchestra of Shanghai Music Conservatory, 乐声琤琮 (2004)
Today is the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. By now, the joy of celebrating the festival in me would have diminished by half. For the next 2 days, it would be just visting and catching up with relatives and friends. What I really enjoyed most is yesterday, the New Year Eve, which we were doing some last minute shopping, busy preparing for the reunion dinner, last minute cleaning and decorating the house. Ya, it's the anticipation and countdown to the final moment that is the happiest.
0600 hrs
I stepped out of the house at 6am and took the first bus of the day to Upper Paya Lebar to buy roast duck. It's a must-have dish for the reunion dinner every year. I have to go early cos the roast duck is popular and there are people who go there as early as 5am. They do not take reservations and I have to be early cos by 7am, most of the roast ducks are almost sold out.
0830 hrs
I reached home around 7am and started working on the 2 fire crackers deco. I have done the 'wicks' the day before and I have left them air-dry after applying tons of glue to stiffen the cotton string. Nice right? hehe
1400 hrs
In the afternoon, I headed down to Chinatown for last minute shopping. I have always wanted to try the tradition Chinese New Year sweet and savoury specialties which most people seldom eat anymore. I got an assortments which includes sweetened lotus roots (symbolising abundance), sweetened lotus seeds (suggesting fertility), dried melon seeds (symbolising profuse earnings),sweetened ginger (symolising longevity) and so on. I also bought a few dried pessimons to try.
The street decoration in Chinatown. Look at the tree, does not look auspicious to me, it resembles an evil millienium-old tree deity in chinese horror movies haha.
1730 hrs
The reunion steamboat dinner is ready!!
2000 hrs
After the dinner, I continued the 'spring cleaning' of my room. I have moved the hifi and tv and clean my table. Wow, spick and span right? I guess it should get messy in 2 weeks time. Haha
2359 hrs
This is the simple altar that my mum has setup for the New Year prayers and offerings to the Heaven (maybe it's taoist thingy). I have no idea why is she doing that but she has been doing that since I was very young. Hence i merely regard it as part of the New Year Eve's traditions.
0030 hrs
My mum always said the first meal of the New Year is best to be vegetarian cos it serves a cleansing of sins made in the old year. Therefore, she will cook a big pot of Buddha's Delight (罗汉斋) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha%27s_delight Year after year, I will stay up late and wait for her to give me a bowl after she completed her prayers. Yum yum....it's nice.
Today is the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year. By now, the joy of celebrating the festival in me would have diminished by half. For the next 2 days, it would be just visting and catching up with relatives and friends. What I really enjoyed most is yesterday, the New Year Eve, which we were doing some last minute shopping, busy preparing for the reunion dinner, last minute cleaning and decorating the house. Ya, it's the anticipation and countdown to the final moment that is the happiest.
0600 hrs
I stepped out of the house at 6am and took the first bus of the day to Upper Paya Lebar to buy roast duck. It's a must-have dish for the reunion dinner every year. I have to go early cos the roast duck is popular and there are people who go there as early as 5am. They do not take reservations and I have to be early cos by 7am, most of the roast ducks are almost sold out.
0830 hrs
I reached home around 7am and started working on the 2 fire crackers deco. I have done the 'wicks' the day before and I have left them air-dry after applying tons of glue to stiffen the cotton string. Nice right? hehe
1400 hrs
In the afternoon, I headed down to Chinatown for last minute shopping. I have always wanted to try the tradition Chinese New Year sweet and savoury specialties which most people seldom eat anymore. I got an assortments which includes sweetened lotus roots (symbolising abundance), sweetened lotus seeds (suggesting fertility), dried melon seeds (symbolising profuse earnings),sweetened ginger (symolising longevity) and so on. I also bought a few dried pessimons to try.
The street decoration in Chinatown. Look at the tree, does not look auspicious to me, it resembles an evil millienium-old tree deity in chinese horror movies haha.
1730 hrs
The reunion steamboat dinner is ready!!
2000 hrs
After the dinner, I continued the 'spring cleaning' of my room. I have moved the hifi and tv and clean my table. Wow, spick and span right? I guess it should get messy in 2 weeks time. Haha
2359 hrs
This is the simple altar that my mum has setup for the New Year prayers and offerings to the Heaven (maybe it's taoist thingy). I have no idea why is she doing that but she has been doing that since I was very young. Hence i merely regard it as part of the New Year Eve's traditions.
0030 hrs
My mum always said the first meal of the New Year is best to be vegetarian cos it serves a cleansing of sins made in the old year. Therefore, she will cook a big pot of Buddha's Delight (罗汉斋) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha%27s_delight Year after year, I will stay up late and wait for her to give me a bowl after she completed her prayers. Yum yum....it's nice.
Chinese New Year is about traditions and respect for the elders. I'm glad that I can enjoy these the same way with my parents year after year since young. And I hope I can do this as long as they lived. I dun care if certain old things are observed during this festive period are considered as supersitition or old-fashioned, it's a celebration that our beloved parents and our respected elders are healthy enough to enjoy this happy occasion with us year after year. That's the spirit of Chinese New year to me.
Happy Lunar New Year!
Happy Lunar New Year!
posted by music-nazi ~ musik mit uns at 21:44
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