First Days of Chinese New Year

I still do remember quite clearly what I did on the first days of Chinese New Year (CNY). At various milestones of my life, I did the following:

When I was a boy, I will get up at the crack of dawn, creep out of bed to take some packets of fire crackers; light a joss stick and fire off the couple of rounds, splitting the quiet calm of the morning dawn. After a usual dull breakfast, we eagerly awaited lunch. Meanwhile we gobbled up CNY goodies; drinking Sinalco and F&N ice-cream soda at will. After lunch, I will go out with my elder brother and a younger brother to the nearest town to catch a Mandarin movie. Seeing a movie those days was one heck of an event! We then got back home just in time for dinner.

When I was bigger, crackers were banned. We had to amuse ourselves with little miserable thrown down pop-pops and sparklers. Cinema also lost its appeal and food was becoming to taste mundane. After an early breakfast, having collected our ang-pows from some nearby uncles and aunties, we would go to town on our own to meet up with classmates and visit some of our girl classmates. You see, we have come to know more of the fairer sex and to treasure their company. After moving from house to house, the gang would end our day and I will take the last bus home.

After I have graduated, as a bachelor, I went home for CNY. As the house was too small, I stayed at Lotus Inn; some five kilometers away. On the first day, I will bring my grandma, mum and dad to visit all our relatives in nearby towns. The job was that of a chauffeur. It was good as it allowed me to meet up with most of my relatives and the strengthen family ties. Some even hinted that they have a girl or two to introduce to me.

When I first got married, on the first day of CNY, we would have lunch at home and then we would pay a visit to my elder sister’s house. At other times, we will drive home to see my grandma and my parents. It was oftentimes, a day visit and I could only visit those relatives in Malacca especially my maternal grandma.

Now that I have a family, we would visit my mother who stays nearby on the first day of CNY. There will be less time for visits these days as we are far away from the home-town. We would visit my father in Malacca only on the second day. We would visit my sister on the first day perhaps for dinner.

This year, I would not be home in Malacca to look up my father. There will be a wedding dinner on the fourth day of CNY and almost every one will be there. I would not be able to be there as I would be working the next day. Also, my second sister will be working and my third sister and her family is away on holidays in South Korea. So I ended up visiting my mother and at the same time met up with my elder sister and her family there.

CNY may mean many things to many people. For the children, they have ang-pows to collect; for us mellowing, old folks, perhaps fond memories to savour.

New Year greetings again!

Quote of the Day:

“A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses.” Chinese Proverb

Heartsong