Chinese New Year brings about many traditions that are followed by various families in Asia to different extents, with each year bringing about modifications as we get progressively lazier(?) with the march of modernization and convenience!
1. HOUSE KEEPING
Most families do this to various intensities and extents, nowadays many resort to contracting the job out to private cleaning companies once a year for the entire home! I think at the Novena house, cleaning is done to some extent with Jovlene.. as for me.. well, I have the beautiful excuse of PREGNANCY to avoid doing more than the necessary! IE: house is clean and sanitised IS GOOD ENOUGH!
2. REUNION DINNER
Still widely practised, although some and increasingly more are choosing to let restaurants and hotels do the dirty work! We still have dinner at home, usually a steamboat affair that everyone helps themselves to.. has the advantage of flexibility when it comes to numbers attending... and the variety of food especially SEAFOOD.. YUM!
3. YUSHENG
the traditional t
ossing of the raw fish salad.. composed of grated vegetables ( carrot, radish and other vegetables) with toppings of fried dough, pickles, and fresh sashimi salmon and a dressing made from sweet plum sauce, lime juice and sesame oil.. no one is exactly sure of its' origin, but we've done this for as long as I can remember! It gets tougher with the years trying to remember the words of wisdom that we are supposed to sprout as we toss the salad!4. EXCHANGE OF RED PACKET
Yup.. definitely the most defining moment of CNY!!! With us Fongsters, we start with a traditional tea ceremony with the parents..
The youngsters have to 
kneel as we serve a cup of freshly brewed tea to our parents and exchange words of blessings. In exchange we get a red packet of lucky money for the year...The rest of the day is usually spent LAZING around the house, visiting relatives in Malaysia and eating sweet treats endlessly until it is time again for ANOTHER MEAL...
Oh, not forgetting the game shows with the relis..
1. Married couples: when are you having a kid?
2. Unmarried but attached: when are you getting married? Must send the invite!
3. Unmarried and single: aiyoh! When are you getting a girl/boyfriend? getting old already!
4. Already had 1 kid: When are you having no. 2?
And it goes on... career, weight ( aiyoh, put on/ lost weight... how come??), kids ( how are they doing in school??) etc... But I suppose they are mostly well meaning and are truly interested in your well being...!
So far.. Chris and I have spent our first CNY (without the others around) at the Esplanade
( where just about EVERYTHING was CLOSED) had satay, snow ice and CARL'S JNR for LUNCH!!
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