WISHING ALL FAMILY AND FRIENDS
ALL OVER THE WORLD
HAPPIEST NEW YEAR
OF GALLOPING
PROSPERITY, WEALTH, HAPPINESS!
Jeannie & Alan
#cny
IT’S EVERYBODY’S BIRTHDAY
Chinese New Year continues. The seventh day.
From the time I was young(-er) and can remember till now, I have been made to understand that the Chinese in Malaysia work very hard throughout the year. Then, when it comes to Chinese New Year or the Lunar New Year, they stop work and “lay down their tools” (a symbol of them actually stopping work) for 15 days. They go all out to welcome and live the new year, right from the very beginning, every Chinese New Year. I have to mention “Chinese” New Year because the date differs from the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system today. New Year occurs on January 1 (New Year’s Day, preceded by New Year’s Eve).
Jeannie and I spent the second and third day in the South central state of Negri Sembilan, in their famous holiday resort town of Port Dickson, more affectionately known as P. D.. The weather was beautiful, the to and fro trip was a breeze, the whole holiday was perfect. We definitely want to make Port Dickson a getaway chill & relax on a more frequent basis.
On Tuesday morning, the 4th day. We were invited by our neighbours, Alison & Desmond, across the street (road) to their home for Chinese New Year. We had an awesome time getting to know one another much better. They are more settled in their newly renovated home. According to Desmond, Alison designed the renovations, making their home just the way they want it. We even had the honour of getting a tour of their beautiful home.
Alison makes good 3-in-1 coffee. Many of these 3-in-1 coffees are too sweet. She knows how to put just the right amount of mixture for the mug size. Desmond is always cheerful, full of laughter. Both Alison and Desmond are dedicated to their little garden of potted plants. We had a wonderful time with them.
Fast forward and we are now towards the end of the 7th day, which is everybody’s birthday. From observations, no one actually celebrates this birthday except to wish everyone (or at least those who are Chinese), “Happy Birthday”.
The next big celebration in this festive season is on the 9th day, which is the Hokkien New Year. It will start with fireworks and firecrackers. More merriment with visits to each other’s houses. Malaysians from diverse cultures celebrate in each other’s festivities. Lots of food – something very Malaysian. Malaysians love to eat. We are blessed with cultural festivals throughout that year.
On the 15th day of the Lunar New Year is Chap Goh Mei. This marks the last day of festivities in the lunar new year celebrations. It is also when single women, while standing on a bridge; will toss oranges (Do they throw one or more than one or a whole carton? More than one improves the chances) into the water with the hopes of right male suitors plucking these oranges from the water (one male suitor to one lady). I wonder if this is where the term “lucky dip” was derived from. On these oranges will have written contact numbers and social media handles. Otherwise, how will men know which orange is from which lady?
Before all you men (hopefully single and available only) go and wait under bridges in Malaysia, hoping to find the right orange to get your Ms. Right; I don’t think that this ritual of Chinese (perhaps other races included) single ladies throwing oranges to find their right suitor is practised any longer in this modern day and age.
So, just as we about to see close of one festivity in a few days time; another will begin not long after that with the beginning of 1 month of fasting. During this period, food bazaars are set up…did I say “food”?😁
RED, RED, EVERYWHERE
As things start to unwind in old town Petaling Jaya (Fondly referred to as P. J.), where small businesses and shops close at half day (The big corporations and public services have to maintain full day), the activities start to unfold.
While I was working on a new article, Jeannie announced that she had to go down to PJ (it should be “up” as PJ is north-east of Subang Jaya) to pick some sewing accessories up as the shop in Subang Jaya closed early today, due to it being the eve of Chinese New Year and Chinese employees had to go back early to celebrate their reunion dinner with their families. (Did you take all that in with one breath?) When she said “she” had to go, it naturally meant that “we” had to go.
Red, red, everywhere. This shop sells everything for Chinese new year. Jeannie rang (an old form of saying she called up by telephone) them up about an hour earlier, saying that she wanted to go over to get something from them. They obliged and stayed open for Jeannie until we got there.
Within minutes, we were in the car, heading to Section 1, old town, P. J.. The traffic was light all the way down…er..or is it up?, to P. J.. Traffic was a breeze all the way to P. J. Jeannie turned on the Google Maps app for directions. It was unnecessary as I knew the way, though I had not been to that area in a while. I told her that she could switch the app off. However, she still kept it on.
When we were around that area, Google Maps were giving some unusual directions. I decided to follow it thinking it may have the latest in traffic direction flow in the Section 1 area. It was acting weird, directing us to the factory area which was always leading us to a particular road with a dead-end.
I decided to follow my sense of direction. I had to go against the traffic direction to get out of where we were and go to where I think this shop was. Got to the shop within minutes.
One of the people at the shop had already prepacked the things that Jeannie wanted. The Hatted Writer (hatless on the trip), in the meanwhile, was absorbing the “Chinese New Year” Chineseness of the area. One of the shops nearby, set off a long…very long string of fire crackers. Since the area was quite empty, it created an echo which made the exploding fire crackers even louder.
I went to inspect the area after the last cracker crackered, amidst the dense smoke lingering in the air, left behind from the exploding coloured paper and gunpowder (?) like material. I suppose the louder the noise and longer that it can last, coupled with messier the place, means greater prosperity.
We were sort of glad to have had a glimpse of a Chinatown style of Chinese New Year eve atmosphere. We headed back to Subang Jaya soon after that, to pick Laura up to have tea (coffee actually) at “KUEH”, possibly the only local cafe to be still open at 4.00pm.
NOTE:
Though coffee is definitely the more popular and trending beverage in this day and age; you don’t hear people say, “Let’s go have coffee”. Its more, “Let’s go for tea”. Is it because coffee is an all day long beverage and tea…well its confined to “tea time” meaning late afternoon / early evening.