The Year of The Snake Has Arrived!

By Gerald Yang

Gong Xi Fa Cai! This Chinese New Year is the year of the snake, which is the 6th zodiac of the 12. 

All over Penang, students, teachers, parents, and friends are kept awake by the fireworks the echoed night after night since the first day of Chinese New Year. The first day (Chu Yi) fell on Wednesday, the 29th of January and since then, Penang’s traffic has come to a standstill. Popular places like Georgetown, Gurney Drive, and The Penang Bridge were crammed with cars of those who were visiting relatives, and friends for the sought-after red packets. 

During the day, temperatures hit a high of 33 degrees Celsius or 91 degrees Fahrenheit which contrasted the weeks following up to Chinese New Year which were littered with days of rain. As residents tried to catch a break in the cool evenings, the crackle of fireworks echoed through the night leading to sleepless nights. Instead of thinking they are an ear sore, join a friend! If you celebrate Chinese New Year, invite friends to set off fireworks to participate in the yearly tradition of making noise whilst seeing your money explode in front of you. Romeo Konstas, a senior, recalled, “Jaeyoun playing baseball with the fireworks was the funniest thing ever.” So make sure you don’t miss out on creating lasting memories with friends. 

Photo Credits: Ooi Choon Jin

A typical day of Chinese New Year would have included visiting family or friends paired with a full day of eating. Snacks that are native to this festivity are pineapple tarts, almond cookies, love letters, and pork jerky; if you haven’t been able to try one of these snacks, make sure to visit one of your friends who celebrate Chinese New Year before the last day which is on February 12th. Until then, expect to hear the continuous screeches of fireworks.

Speaking of the last day of Chinese New Year, be sure to appreciate different Chinese New Year decorations that can be found in temples, malls, and homes. Lanterns are commonly hung up during Chinese New Year as they are a symbol of fortune and good luck.  Above is a picture of this year’s decoration at the Goddess of Mercy’s Temple which is also the oldest temple in Penang.