Gong xi fa cai! Happy year of the goat!
Today is Chinese New Year, the most celebrated holiday in Singapore.
Here are some of the things I’ve experienced every CNY.
A hong bao or ang pow (red packet) of cash and 2 mandarin oranges are distributed to each employee at our office.
Traditionally, married couples give hong baos to younger single people.
Mandarin oranges symbolize prosperity and are given as gifts as well as used for decor. As for me, I just really love to eat them so I really enjoy this time of the year when there are a lot of these in grocery stores!
Yu sheng is tossed for prosperity. I already talked about the funny overenthusiastic toss we made last time, which ended up as the messiest lo hei I had ever seen.
But we had another one, this time just for our team, because our VP had missed the company-wide one. We were more careful this time, so none of it ended up in anyone’s clothes or hair.
We also had Häagen Dazs ice cream, but that one is not part of the tradition.
The lion dance is performed in the office. It does not usually happen on the first day, though, and we’re having it next week. The picture above was sent by my teammate, I guess that was taken at his home.
My favourite McDonald’s limited edition twister fries are always available with their prosperity burgers at this time of year.
If you’re wondering what the burgers taste like, they have a delicious peppery sauce and lots of onions.
Almost all shops are closed, so you can’t buy food or go shopping. You can always count on good old 7-11 to be open, though.
Even as early as on the eve, shops start closing already, but luckily some restaurants were still open last night and we were able to have a quick dinner at 4 Fingers before watching Kingsman. It was a really awesome movie, by the way. Review to follow.
The first 2 days of the Chinese New Year are holidays, but at my office we don’t follow local holidays because our clients are in other countries, so we still have to work. We get free lunches, though, so I don’t mind.
Singtel is giving free unlimited data to its postpaid customers today. So I’m taking advantage of it and using it for this post.
This is the first time this has happened though, but I hope it will become a yearly thing.
I love reading about these traditions! If your office does not follow local holidays which ones does it follow?
Looks like a lot of amazing food! I'm also a huge fan of new year in Russia since they're also big mandarin eaters during that time!
It depends. If a team has clients that are all from the same country, then they can follow that country's holidays. If not, nothing. We do follow the globally recognized holidays – New year, Christmas, and Good Friday.
Oh wow, I didn't know that! That's interesting trivia, thanks!
Oh dear, I feel bad that you are one of the hardworking ones during PH, but at least you guys are compensated with free food. Those yu sheng makes me hungry, like now.
Yeah, don't worry coz we also get a leave in lieu so we get to plan our own holiday! 🙂
It depends. If a team has clients that are all from the same country, then they can follow that country's holidays. If not, nothing. We do follow the globally recognized holidays – New year, Christmas, and Good Friday.
Looks like a lot of amazing food! I'm also a huge fan of new year in Russia since they're also big mandarin eaters during that time!
I love reading about these traditions! If your office does not follow local holidays which ones does it follow?
Oh wow, I didn't know that! That's interesting trivia, thanks!
Oh dear, I feel bad that you are one of the hardworking ones during PH, but at least you guys are compensated with free food. Those yu sheng makes me hungry, like now.
Yeah, don't worry coz we also get a leave in lieu so we get to plan our own holiday! 🙂