This year, the 15-day Chinese New Year begins Monday, ushering in the Year of the Ox. Why is it the Year of the Ox then? The Chinese Zodiac is said to follow the stations of Jupiter’s orbit around the sun, which is just shy of 12 years. The animals mark years in a 12-year cycle that begins with rat, followed by ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar.
Why they fall that way? One story has Buddha inviting all the animals in the kingdom to a meeting.
In another, it’s the Jade Emperor holding a great banquet. Some animals outwit others to get there first, with their places in the zodiac assigned according to when they arrived.
A third legend is with plotting and scratching and clawing in a competition that includes a river crossing followed by a gathering at the emperor’s palace. The kindly ox agrees to carry the scheming rat and the cat across the water on his back, but the rat betrays his friend the cat by pushing him into a swift current and hops off the ox to claim the top spot.
The cat and mouse used to be friends but became mortal enemies after the cat fails to make the top 12.
We find this story insightful and interesting. It helps us understand the Chinese culture and how Chinese New Year came about. Chinese New Year is not all about getting new clothes and red packets. It’s about spending quality with your relatives and friends.
Chinese New YearDone by: Quek Yi Min
Sze Chun
Chinese New Year is a festival that is celebrated by the Chinese. It is a festival in which the Chinese will go back to their homeland and have their reunion dinner. They will also visit friends and relatives. The Chinese will also tend to have their things in red as red is a very auspicious colour for the Chinese. It symbolizes good fortune. There are many interesting things that happen during Chinese New Year. For example, the lion dance. It’s a pretty noisy performance in which the actors will hold a lion hood over them and they will follow to the music and move. Another thing that I look forward to Chinese New Year is the red packets. They are packets that are filled with money given by couples. Even though I know money isn’t everything, however I will definitely feel happier if given red packets.
There are also special goodies prepared during Chinese New Year. One of them is the pineapple tarts. It is a sumptuous snack which is a tart with pineapple filling. Another is the barbequed pork. It is sort of insulting to the Muslims but honestly I think that they were great.
I celebrate Chinese new year by visiting my friends and relatives around Singapore, even though I seldom contacted my cousins, I felt that they have changed pretty much since I last saw them, which was a year before. When I met my aunts and uncles, the 1st thing they said was how big and tall I grew and how was my studies. I always replied that everything was fine. Basically, I spent my Chinese new year chatting with the many friends and relatives.
My Christmas passed without much celebrations and parties. I went on a 3-day 2-night trip to Kuala Lumpur. I went shopping for clothes, Labels and Love. Unlike Jess' Christmas,I didn't go to church or have Christmas Tree with a star on top. Its discouraged in my religion to celebrate other cultures and celebration.Jess have to dressed appropiately for church. Usually, my siblings do not quarrel over presents and is very polite to each other. My family and I knows each other likes and dislikes unlike Jess and his family. We also eat different kinds of traditional food and we give out presents for fun in return for more presents and gifts. Hehe!
My family and I celebrated Hari Raya Puasa last October. It marks the end of one month of fasting. All the men have to go for prayers in the morning until around 10 am. We usually eat before visiting my relatives' houses. I had to apologise to my parents. Seeking forgiveness from the elders is a must during Hari Raya. Usually, there will be crying and giving out of tissues.
I went to my close cousin's house first at Tampines. My aunt cooked a variety of dishes such as Rendang, Ketupat and Nasi Lemak. There was also kuih; appetizers like pineapple tart or honey cornflakes. I brought my own hand-made chocolate chips cookies. Yummy!! Soon all my other cousins came flocking in. Everybody complimented my cookies saying it tasted like heaven. Forgive me for my lack of humility. .Anyway, I inherited packets of money $
I went to my paternal side of relatives on the next day. I saw my super cute niece who is only a few months old. I carried her throughout the whole trip and attended to her needs. I even laid her to sleep and feed her. When my uncles and aunties tried to carry her, she cried. She only stayed silent if her parents or me carried her. I ate fried noodles and pizza and drank fruit punch. We then returned to our homes. I collected a grand total of $150+.
I have chosen the occasion – Christmas from bridge to terabithia.
The similarities between the two joyous occasion celebrated by most of us is that both our families are looking forward to this grand occasion. Both our families will be busy preparing the clothes and food etc. about a month away from the occasion.
The differences are probably the fact that during Chinese New Year we would not have to buy presents for each other whereas in the book jess is busy about thinking of what to buy for Leslie. On the day of Chinese New Year, we would not be doing chores like what jess family is doing in the book. Instead we would be busy visiting our relatives and friends. By the way, Christmas last for only a day but Chinese New Year last for half a month.
Name: WanrongChinese New Year
I celebrated Chinese New Year just about less than a month from now. I am really looking forward to CNY when it is arriving for I will be able to get lots and lots of red packet from my relatives. Just a few months before CNY, my family and I would be busying shopping for new clothes to wear for the oncoming grand occasion for us. Only during then, I would be able to see almost all of my relatives as almost all of them live in Malaysia, so I will only be seeing them during some joyous occasion and school holidays. That is why I am looking forward to this grand occasion.
On the eve of CNY, my grandmother and my mother would be busying preparing for the ingredients to put in the steamboat reunion dinner, which is the common dinner for our family, as it not only tastes good but also easy to prepare. Then I will be there putting out the chopsticks and my brother will but the bowls. My father and grandfather would be there busying setting up the table and bring the steamboat pot out, from the storeroom. Sooner or later, the dinner begins!
During the dinner, we will be there talking will waiting for the food in the pot to be cook. Meanwhile, the television will also be on to let watch some of the special shows on for the joyous occasion. After the dinner, the fun, for us kids, begins. Now, all the marriage adults would give our favorite, red packets. We would thank them and we would also be helping out in keeping the bowls, chopsticks etc. What a wonderful occasion!
During Christmas, Jess thinks of something good to get for Leslie but finds it hard to find anything good enough. My family and I would always know what to give to our relatives and do not find it hard to find anything good enough for our relatives during Chinese New Year. My family and I did not have fights with each other when Chinese New Year is coming. Jess and his family have some fights when Christmas is coming. Jess gave Leslie a puppy as a Christmas present and Leslie gave Jess a box of watercolours as a Christmas present. My family and I gave red packets to our relatives during Chinese New Year. My family and I bonded a lot during Chinese New Year. Jess his family did not bond a lot during Christmas. Jess’s father was not satisfied at the present that he gave Jess for Christmas because it was not very good. My parents were satisfied at the red packets that they gave me for Chinese New Year because it was good enough. I did not show off the red packets I got during Chinese New Year. One of Jess’s sisters, Ellie, showed off her new panty hose that she got for Christmas.
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Every year, my family and I would always go and celebrate Chinese New Year together. On Chinese New Year eve, my family and I would go to my grandmother’s house and have the reunion dinner.
The reunion dinner would always be steamboat. Before the reunion dinner started, my cousins and I would play some games like Twister, Uno, Scrabble or card games. It was so much fun playing with cousins and brother. While we were playing, the adults would cook the reunion dinner. When the reunion dinner is ready, my cousin and I would help arrange the table, chairs and eating utensils. Before everybody started eating, all the children would ask all the adults to start eating. Then everybody would eat to their heart’s content. When everybody finish their dinner, everybody would either help the adults wash the dishes, keep the table and chairs, went to watch television or play some games and the adults will give out red packets to the children. When it was getting late, each family would say goodbye to other families and go home.
The next day, my family and I would go to some of our relative houses to wish them a happy Chinese New Year. Most of them are from my mother’s side. We often went out at noon and arrive at one of my mother’s aunt’s house and have our lunch and we stay there for a while then we went to a few more houses and we went back home.
I feel that during Chinese New Year, my family really bonded a lot. I really hope that we can have a happy Chinese New Year every year.
