Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is a big deal in Singapore. Like really big. From lights and lion dances to lo heis and traditional dress, we did our best to take it all in!
In the month leading up to Chinese New Year, preparations began everywhere in the city. Decorations were set up, lion dances began, and special treats were stocked in the grocery stores, including a huge table where you can buy boxes of mandarins to give as good luck to others.

 

This year was the year of the pig, so pigs were everywhere, as well as red. We managed to visit one festival, but the lines were so crazy that we didn't stay long enough to see the floats light up at night or to see the fireworks. We did manage a few rides (the bumper car was not so successful for Emmeline), and to see the god of fortune spray some gold confetti for everyone as good luck. I've never seen so many grown adults jumping and reaching for confetti before. Apparently, it must actually be a good luck thing to them.

 

 

Actual Chinese New Year is much like Christmas in the US, very quiet and most things are closed for the 2 holiday days. I made the mistake of going to the grocery store around noon on the eve of Chinese New Year. Not realizing that most schools and offices only go a half day that day, it was pure and utter chaos in the grocery store. The line wrapped all the way to the back of the store (worse than Hurricane Harvey lines) and you couldn't even walk down half the aisles to shop because the lines were there. Similarly, the bank  and ATM lines were also tremendously long. Those lines are always weirdly long in Singapore, but this was a whole new level. That's because they give out ang bao, little red envelopes with cash to kids and younger family members. For some reason, the cash is supposed to be uncirculated and brand new, hence the bank lines!

  

Our condo hosted a lion dance and lo hei the weekend after the holidays. Both girls enjoyed the lion dance show, despite the heat. The lo hei is a Singaporean/Malaysian Chinese tradition which involves tossing all the ingredients of the salad 7 times for good luck and to mix it up before everyone gets to eat some. These type of dinners are quite expensive at restaurants in Singapore, so it was fun to be able to get a chance to participate! Afterward, we enjoyed a buffet of more traditional Chinese food for lunch.

 

 






The following day, Corabelle and I stumbled upon another lion dance at our local mall. This one was a jumping lion dance, which was very impressive! It was also followed by a dragon dance, which was the first time I've seen one. Corabelle surprisingly loved these dances. I thought she might be a little afraid being so close and it being so loud, but she was dancing along the whole time!

 

 


And how could we go through Chinese New Year without some traditional dress and photo shoots?? Emmeline missed her Chinese New Year celebration at school because we were in Thailand, but we still made use of the outfit and it will likely fit her next year too. Corabelle wasn't a huge fan of the photo session, but I think we got a few cute ones together, at least.