CNY Diaries- 15 Days With The Lim Family

Dear Diary,

It’s finally here! The eve of Chinese New Year! I have been looking forward to it, ever since the spring cleaning and the decorating.

It’s close to dinner time now and preparations are underway for the tuanyuan fan (reunion dinner) later. Dad is prepping the steamboat, mum chopping the vegetables, the radio is blaring Chinese New Year songs, and Martin, my younger brother, is whining why he can’t help to cut the vegetables. “It’s because you’re just a little boy,” Mum teased him, smiling.

Mum was nagging just now to tell me to hurry up with my homework because we have a lot of visiting, or what we call bai nian. A wonderful chance to get more angpaos (red packets), I thought.

All too soon, it was the reunion dinner. Mum did not let us down this time, what with the many dishes laid out beside the steamboat, and the delicious scent of pork soup simmering.

Later, Mum and Dad gave us our angpaos and we were delighted, stashing them in a drawer. Martin made a bet with me that he would get more angpao money than me. And, if he didn’t get more than I did, he would have to buy me chocolate-flavoured ice-cream.

We went to Chinatown to soak up the atmosphere. It was really, really crowded there! Stall owners advertising their cheaply sold goods and food and people haggling with the prices. Dad managed to buy rou gan, or bakwa, which is barbecued pork jerky. Mmm, how fragrant!

Channel 8 was holding a Chinese New Year Countdown. Many local celebrities were there! Though I did not have much interest in the local celebrities of Singapore, I was just there to support local talent. (Go Singapore!)

The event was spectacular, with song and dance and games for the public to win cash prizes. Soon it was a few seconds before midnight. The celebrities and the public chanted: “10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1… xin nian kuai le (Happy Chinese New Year!)!” And thus we ushered in the New Year with style as fireworks exploded in the sky above, mixed with the melodious sound of firecrackers popping away.

Yours Sincerely,

Melissa

Chinese New Year Day 1- 31 January 2014

Dear Diary,

My, my jaws are aching so badly after smiling and enlightening countless of relatives of mine that yes, I’m a big, grown girl now and yes, I did take good care of Martin. Today, we went to visit my paternal grandparents and relatives. Grandma was so cheerful whenever she saw me and would give me a wonderful hug. I would breathe in her lovelygrandma smell of powder and cookies.Grandma produced many plastic Tupperware containers of cookies of all sorts, asking us totry out her cookies. There were pineapple tarts, almond cookies in the shape of a flower, pea-flavoured cookies, kuih bangkit, love letters, kuih bahulu and many more! Grandma alwaysbakes cookies every year for Chinese New Year and they never fail to taste brilliantly. This year’s batch was as good, or perhaps, even better than last year’s!

Meanwhile, Grandpa was outside on the couch reading the newspaper and talking to Dad and Mum. After Grandma gave us our angpaos, Martin and entertained ourselves in their study.

Close to lunch time, Uncle James and Aunt Carol, Dad’s siblings, stopped by, with their respective spouses Aunt Lizzy and Uncle Chris, and the cousins, Kristine, Louisa and Jian Rong. We had fun playing Angry Birds on their iPads and laughed away, talking about school and the latest trends. Jian Rong was whining why we couldn’t eat meat. Aunt Carol explained, “Don’t you want a long and happy life, son? We are also welcoming the gods of

the heaven and earth to celebrate with us,”

It was soon late afternoon and we went home. Gosh, I have never felt so tired in my life!

Yours Sincerely,

Melissa

Chinese New Year Day 2-1 February 2014

Dear Diary,

Today we didn’t do any visiting, thank goodness. We went to the crematorium near Mandai Road to pay respect to Dad and Mum’s ancestors, namely my great-grandparents. Today is also considered as the birthday of dogs, thus we have to treat dogs with an extra amount of kindness today. Though we didn’t have a dog or a puppy in the house, I bought a doggie toy for my friend at school who has a puppy. I better remember to bring it to school

on Tuesday! Since I have a few tests coming up and Martin has his PSLE exams around the corner, Mum is making us study. Oh well, I guess it’s for our own good.

Got to go back to my books!

Yours Sincerely,

Melissa

Yum! We ate our fill and sighed contentedly.