The Essence of Chinese New Year in Malaysia

Before I begin, Happy Chinese New Year!! Gong Hei Fatt Choy, May the goat year be a lucky, prosperous, and healthy one for all of you;)

Recently a friend asked me right before Chinese New Year , “Did having cancer change your perspective on life?”

My answer is a definite “Yes”! I not only have a different perspective on what it is meant to live but I truly appreciate the people, and things around me ALOT more. I started realizing how unique Malaysia is as a country this Chinese New Year especially.. Things I probably never noticed before stood out this time around.

For example, the one thing I saw alot of during this CNY was how the “sau kung Jau” was celebrated not only by the Chinese but every race!

1. Sau Kung Jau celebrated by All races

This year, I could truly see the mixture of races in celebrating Chinese New year which I didn’t take note of before. I manage to compile some cute pictures for you guys of this happening..

Yearly annual dinner of lowyat networks group of companies, and they had yee sang with all the wishes “Lou-ed” by everyone

The girls from Lipstiq and personEdge looking lovely

Sharon from PersonEdge tells me her Indian family celebrates Chinese New Year too with yearly lou sang sessions, visiting and giving of ang pao’s!!!

Jehan Nabilah and her family having their yearly lou-sang too and she tells me she loves Chinese food!!

Even while at La La Cheong having dinner with some partners, I actually saw a group of Indian uncles having the yee sang and lou-ing it too, standing up and making the wishes!! How cute!!! When I saw that, I was thinking.. wow.. Truly 1Malaysia!

So, keep up the interchange of cultures within the races, don’t let THEM break us up.. you know who I am talking about..

2. Camaraderie with Family

I can’t stress this enough especially for those overseas. It’s during CNY that you experience the “reunion” with your immediate, and extended family. It’s so joyous and festive when you see your cousins, aunties and uncles decked out in red, or in their brightest clothes, and just spending time with them! You don’t get to experience that even during birthdays because some people might not turn up due to work or studies, or something.

The Choo Family with the lil ones sitting on the chair

The “single” girls

With my nieces!!!

Visiting my extended family from my dad’s side. I only see these girls once a year, but everytime I see them, it tickles my heart to be able to connect with them and see them grow up

3. Traditions and Food

I love Yee Sang to bits, especially my Popo’s homemade ones!It has become such a tradition in Singapore and Malaysia to lou yee sang that many look forward to it every year. Chinese New Year is NOT complete without the yee sang! Love the fact that you get to see every table eating it, and with various races 🙂

Besides the cleaning of the house before CNY, and not cleaning on the first day, there’s also the delicious food of course. The first day is purely vegetarian, and the 2nd day meat. All of us always look forward to the vegetarian dishes because we hardly get to eat it as it’s pretty difficult to make.. LOL!

4. Catching up with friends

Yup, sounds like we do it all the time right? We do, but it’s a different kinda feeling during CNY! This time, all of us made an effort to dress up and it’s also during this period that many of your friends who are away come back to celebrate making it so much more festive!

My closest girlies looking so pretty!!!It’s always a riot with them

Not forgetting visiting your friends houses to “bai nian” AND er.. you know exchange money over cards… !!!

Many of us who are Chinese forget how Chinese New Year is, like me when I was away for 6 years, BUT now I relish every bit of it and will definitely not miss the chance spending it in Malaysia with my family and friends. An occasion not to be missed…

Many of us say, next year we will come back and celebrate, but maybe next year, there might be some key people that may not be there anymore? Why wait when you can do it now… Just a thought I will be leaving you with..

Gong Xi Fa Cai,

Mei Sze