The one thing I like living in Malaysia is our multi cultural society and its varied cultural and religious festivals. Just recently, We celebrated New Years day and Christmas 2006. Come this Feb, we'll be celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year. The Chinese lunar new year falls on Feb 18th. On the eve of the lunar new year, it is a must and tradition that the clan and family will come together to have a reunion dinner.
And so as it is, it's been like this for my family for the past many years now. The week leading to the new year and reunion dinner on new year eve, The family will be busy cleaning and dusting, It's like Spring cleaning. Yes.. indeed, it's spring cleaning for all us Chinese folks. Women folk will be busy in the kitchen, busy making new year cookies and delicacies, savouries and sweets. The men as usual, will be busy repairing and fixing up house hold items and furnitures. (This, back in the olden days... now it's all about buying new things off the racks or shopping malls). People will be buying new things, like clothes, furnitures, etc.
There's an old saying that all things bought for the new year must come in pairs. For example, a pair of shirts, 2 pair of pants, etc. It's an old saying of 'Double Happiness'. In a traditional Chinese family, the kitchen is an important family area as this is where food is cooked. And in older homes, (and some modern ones too) The kitchen God's altar can be found near the hearth (or kitchen stove). On the lunar 12th month, 23rd or 24th day is the big send off for the Kitchen God, (Zhao Jun). Sweet sticky rice pudding called NIAN GAO will be offered to the kitchen God, hoping it wld make the kitchen God report nothing but sweet words to the Jade Emperor, Talk about bribery... !
As the eve of the new year arrives, the family will be busy with their last minute shopping, cleaning and preparing the reunion feast. I believe we Chinese love to have auspicious things around us and thus, even the meals prepared are all named auspiciously. The must have dishes for the reunion dinner includes: Pork, Chicken, Fish, Beef, Lamb, Vegetables made of assortments of kelps, seaweed, green vegies, etc. Seafood like mussels, clams, scallops, etc
All these wonderful mouth watering dishes, for the reunion dinner. As the clock strikes 11 pm. The Chinese hour of the Rat, all family members would wear new clothes, bright colours and red are the favourites. No blacks or dark coloured ones. Its' TABOO!. The head of the family will perform rites and prayers on the family shrine and to the Jade Emperor. The new year has begun.
I look forward to spending time with my family during the celebrations. When I was much younger, we get to have our 'ang pau' which are red packets filled with money. Yes! Money... so kids have a great time on Lunar new year. Now a days, I give ang paus to my nieces and nephews. I do hope this year, the lunar new year celebrations will be more traditional and focus on the family instead of the increased commercialism. These days, most people would take the opportunity to go abroad for holidays. So, it's kind of sad that the Spirit of the new year celebrations are slowly forgotten by the younger generations.
