Happy Chinese New Year!

Alwyn Tan                                      

Chinese New Year is back! The traditional festival where overjoyed children get to play with an abundance of firecrackers, along with a stream of red packets flowing into their pockets.

“Chinese New Year is simply just a festival of joy. People often visit me at my place and I visit them too. It’s fun, especially getting to receive some awesome angpows,” said Andy Ewe (12).

A traditional dinner is normally held during Chinese New Year Eve, also known as the reunion dinner. During such dinners, males bring their immediate families and have dinner with their extended families. The old Chinese way emphasizes family bonding, just as Confucius often taught people about respecting their elders and filial piety. Another tradition that most Chinese families abide to is staying up late during Chinese New Year Eve, which symbolizes a long and prosperous life.

Traditionally, people often visit each other during Chinese New Year; younger people often go to visit elders to pay respect and celebrate the holiday together. However, in our modern world, traditional views are slowly merging into the modern culture. Many families now choose to go overseas for vacations to celebrate their New Year with their families, instead of celebrating it with large families.

Another thing that most families and friends love doing is playing mahjong, cards, or other board games. Cards and mahjong are the most popular games played during Chinese New Year. Most times, adults gamble a little with their relatives or close friends as they joke with one another the whole night. Children, on the other hand, play their own little games along with firecrackers as the adults stay inside and play cards.

Chinese New Year is an important tradition for the Chinese people. During such a season, relatives from all over the world come back just to celebrate it with their extended families, including their parents.