CHINESE NEW YEAR

you ask a Chinese which is the most joyous occasion, the answer will unanimously be Chinese NewYear. How did Chinese New Year come about? Let's take a look from a general viewpoint and from a Singaporean's viewpoint.Generally, Chinese New Year refers to the beginning of the Lunar Calendar. This occasion is always celebrated with lion dances, dragon dances, great delicacies, new clothings and shoes for all ages - as long as you are a Chinese. It starts with a reunion dinner on the Chinese New Year's Eve. Regardless whether they are at home or whether they are working abroad, all will make an effort to be home to enjoy the reunion dinner. It is simply a scrumptuous dinner filled with delicacies. Veals of laughter can be heard endlessly. On New Year day itself, fire crackers are lit and every household will prepare "ang pows" to be given to the singles and children, not forgetting the elderly too. "Red" is the colour that is in vogue. This relates to a myth that long time ago, in China, there was an animal called "nian". It eats up people and all villagers are afraid of it. However, they realize that it was frighten of red colour and loud sounds produced by gongs and drums. All the villagers gathered together and played loud music, with everyone wearing red and every household having a piece of red cloth to hang on their doors. It worked and the monster left in fear, never to return again. Thus, they mark that as the beginning of a new year with continuous playing of fire-crackers. This tradition has been passed down till today.In Singapore, unlike China and Taiwan, we celebrate this occasion much subtly. Usually we will have reunion dinner, getting "ang pows" during the first fifteen days. However, our official public holidays is our two days, unlike in China, it lasts for two weeks. Chinese New Year, indeed, is a time for everyone to get together. A happy occasion it is, but being a multi-racial country, the atmosphere is not as delightful as in other Chinese-dominated countries, for example, China and Taiwan. In addition,playing fire-crackers is banned in Singapore. We can only gain the Chinese New Year's joyous feeling from the frequent lion dancing and the Chingay Procession.Chinese New Year - a traditional joyous occasion, can also be a time for us to invite our other races friends to join us in the celebration joy. It can be a way to enhance our bonds and strengthen our relationships because they can get to know our tradition better.

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