Why we should love Chinese New Year

I realise there are a lot of people out there who hate Chinese New Year. They hate the rush of people stocking up on mandarin oranges, New Year goodies and the stupid CNY songs that certain CD shops in housing estate areas decided to play for one full month before the actual CNY. Quite frankly, I dislike it too.

I hate the fact that I have to:

1) Queue for almost an hour at the bank because the queue was lined with people changing new currency for ang paos.

2) I hate it even more when I don't get a share of the ang pao in 1).

3) I hate the CNY songs that CD shops decide to play so as to torture my eardrums

I bet many of us feel this way

4) I hate the increase in 肉干 prices. Man, I so luv 肉干when they're cheaper.

肉干 - one of my loves

5) I detest seeing "red" wherever I go. Needless to say, red's not my favourite colour.

6) I hate people who get into CNY mood and become extremely slow to respond for urgent shipments.

7) I hate the New Year goodies which never fail to gain me 2 extra kilos within a few days.

Why are new year goodies so goooood??

8) I hate the increase in hair salon prices.

Don't even get me started on how much I had spend on my latest hairstyle

9) I dislike people who hate CNY because they don't want to meet their distant relatives or get in touch with their Chinese roots.

Despite all these things which soil my mood, I actually love this festival. Really, I do. Sometimes, I love it even more than Christmas.

I don't understand my generation of people nowadays. We can celebrate X'mas like it's the most important event of the year, but when it comes to CNY, these people start frowning.

Stop frowning, k?

(cos i will spank u hard if u continue)

All because they don't wanna meet relatives who once again will comment on how big they have grown, how silly the CNY tunes are (okay, im guilty of this) or how much fuss they have to go through to get new clothes.

Frankly, I think CNY is the most important event for all Chinese. The ang mohs celebrate Christmas either because of their faith or it's the time for family gatherings. It's almost like our Chinese reunion dinner. Except we eat chicken and ducks instead of turkey, we get red packets filled with cash instead of presents, and we get nice x'mas carols instead of Long piao piao's CNY songs (my god, i can't believe i actually remember the name of this Chinese singer).

One of my deceased dad's favourite singer

The goods of CNY are so many that i can only list a few:

1) The Ang Pows
Cash to spend/gamble without guilt. Of course, if you're married, it's a different thing.

2) The good food
Sure I detest the two kilos i know i will gain, but the once-in-a-year food is really great. Something we all can't deny.

3) The right to gamble
You don't get your neighbours knocking on your doors for making noises while playing Poker or Black Jack (cos' they're doing the same thing).

It's as intensive as this when I gamble

4) The holidays = no need to work/study
We get an extra day of holiday as compared to other public holidays in the whole year! That is, provided you work in a 9 to 5 environment usually.

5) The time to meet up with cousins and favourite relatives
Sure, many of us hate our relatives. But there are bound to be some relatives whom you love. And these faves are usually the ones who give the big Ang Pows. Hee.

6) The right to shop
Because our mommies said we need to wear new clothes for the new year.

I particularly love CNY cos this is the only time where I go back to where I was born to hang out with the whole of my extended family.

This is the only time where I get to see my grandma.

This is the only time where I get to play with / torture my cousins who are mostly a decade younger than me.

This is the only time where I have to eat reunion dinner like it's a buffet with no tables and chairs. (we have close to 30 people eating reunion dinner each time and only the elders get to get a proper seat. The rest of us juz pick our food off the table and move elsewhere.)

This is the only time where I can catch up with my aunts and uncles whom im relatively close to.

This is the only time where fireworks soar from our garden as we compete with the neighbours who has bought the most beautiful (expensive) fireworks.

Okay, maybe not as colourful, but it looked something like that.

This is the only time where I can taste my grandma's cooking (the best in the world) again.

This is the only time where I can get learn how to make nonya kueh from my aunt (I forget how to make 'em everytime after CNY so she has to teach me over and over again)

delicious nonya kuehs

This is the only time where my entire extended family and I would sit around in the living room watching movies starring Stephen Chow and roar with laughter together. (Heartwarming, isn't it?)

And because of all these, I actually do not value the Ang Pows (cos they're in a different currency) but I really look forward to just sitting around and hanging out with the people I love. Although it's tedious and expensive having to fly during this period, it's really all worth it. But sad to say, this year will be the last time I'm having reunion dinner with them.

The only thing I truly hate is to visit certain relatives whom I do not care for. Usually, I'm being forced to visit them. The up side is, I get to finish almost the new year goodies at their place. hehe.

I hope those of you who hate CNY will look at things differently and start to appreciate this festival.

For those of you who find it weird that im not wishing you Happy CNY in person or via SMS, please understand that I can't celebrate CNY this year.

But please enjoy yourselves, stuff yourself silly and win lotsa money! (that is, when u're not gambling with me).