It’s a week before Chinese New Year. It’s unfortunate that CNY is fast becoming just another public holiday. I believe most of our agendas during this festive season involve pretty much about our parents and grandparents. Hence, I wonder how people of my generation will celebrate CNY when our parents move on.
Nevertheless, I believe people my generation still have that tiny bit of CNY feeling within us, one that still manages to bring us back to the nostalgic time of playing fireworks and big family gatherings. It is when this tiny fragment of memory disappears; the true meaning of CNY will be lost forever.
While you and I may still have that bit of reminiscence, there are a generation of Chinese who doesn’t appreciate the meaning and tradition of CNY. I am referring to those hardcore type A Chinese. They have totally lost the meaning of CNY. I have personally seen some of them dress in black during CNY before. Not that I am superstitious but I think it’s a matter of respect to the elders.
They tend to ignore the tradition of CNY branding things as … “very Chinese”. Well, to those people who have to deal with type A Chinese… I have a wonderful solution for you. I think they are right, we should spare these type A Chinese the CNY tradition… we should not get them involve in things that are … “very Chinese”… by…
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not giving them ang-pow…
1 year ago… London Friday night out
Nevertheless, I believe people my generation still have that tiny bit of CNY feeling within us, one that still manages to bring us back to the nostalgic time of playing fireworks and big family gatherings. It is when this tiny fragment of memory disappears; the true meaning of CNY will be lost forever.While you and I may still have that bit of reminiscence, there are a generation of Chinese who doesn’t appreciate the meaning and tradition of CNY. I am referring to those hardcore type A Chinese. They have totally lost the meaning of CNY. I have personally seen some of them dress in black during CNY before. Not that I am superstitious but I think it’s a matter of respect to the elders.
They tend to ignore the tradition of CNY branding things as … “very Chinese”. Well, to those people who have to deal with type A Chinese… I have a wonderful solution for you. I think they are right, we should spare these type A Chinese the CNY tradition… we should not get them involve in things that are … “very Chinese”… by…
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not giving them ang-pow…
1 year ago… London Friday night out
27 comments:
aha! u're gonna give ang-pows now aren't u??? =D
"They tend to ignore the tradition of CNY branding things as … “very Chinese”. Well, to those people who have to deal with type A Chinese… I have a wonderful solution for you. I think they are right, we should spare these type A Chinese the CNY tradition… we should not get them involve in things that are … “very Chinese”… by…
for me, i think it's more fun to say they have been colonised by the imperialists.
happy new year to you and your family.
新年快乐.
恭喜发材.
There no holiday in London. So need to work on Chinese New year. But brought one pack of Yee Shang from Msia , so gonna Lo Sang in London.
Well, it is the responsibility of our generation to pass down the culture and rituals to the next. The spirit is lost once families begin to take short cuts and not bother about getting together anymore or go relative a-visiting during CNY, opting instead to go shopping or leave Malaysia for a holiday!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!
ahaha, i could guess what was on the accountant's mind even b4 i scrolled down! ;o)
=)
happy chinese new year!!
it's a bit too early but...better than i forgot about it later! =p
hehe..i read abt the chinese ABC, really great post! well...i miss home gathering!! it's not the same when there aren't any elderly people in the family...and other families seems to have their own plans. I really do miss reunions!
^^
eh dun make excuses to not give angpows ok!!!! =P
i don't like cny..i hate stupid happy songs that annoys the crap out of ppl...n angpows no longer have meaning to me..i'd rather sit home...n relax n enjoy the holiday..then go out all day in the hot sun and a fake smile on the face collecting angpows =P
ohh erm..but it's ok if it's just close family..parents..siblings..close friends..other than that..no thanks!!
What a splendid idea! Not giving angpow. Hahahaha...
Happy early Chinese New Year! :D
I feel that if the existence of Hardcore type A chinese is to be blamed on a few factors. Main ones being Media, fashion and the guidance of senior family members esp parents, aunts/uncles, grandparents, etc.
I have worn black for CNY (but not totally black). I have not lost the spirit of CNY and I'm not talking about ang pows. Now it dont matter if I get or not coz its more important for me to catch-up with family and friends that I don't see often.
Zewt, this is your first CNY as a married man. I suppose you are seeing things in a different perspective and perhaps your bank a/c does hurt coz of the ang pows. ;)
Till now, my Grandma will still advise "Don't buy black color. Kekeke. I agreed that it is a respect to the elders and also to tradition. Nothing bout superstitious lo.
Psst, will you be giving us angpows then? We'll wear all red! :P
ooh no...u really hit da point there...yeah, it indeed dreaded me thinkg of d future when our older generation move on, it'll be somethg that i'll missed for d rest of my life!!
so i better treasure & enjoy what i hv now....
btw, gong xi fa cai to you... yes, spare the angpow if u see anyone ever wear 'black' during CNY!!
i hate this type of ppl too....
there's one year, i wore dark blue on the first day of CNY... my relatives all tease me before giving ang pau! i think they must be thinking like you... "wear dark color duwan give ang pau!" lol!
so if i see you on CNY and wear BRIGHT RED, i will get extra ang pau lah?? hehehe... advance Happy Chinese New Year to you!
Zewt, first year of marriage, couples got to give double angpows leh! Can i drop by your house then? i'll wear super "ang ang" to your house so i get doube blessings from you okie? Hehehhee...
Hey Zewt, must say your 'chinese A-B-C type' article was damn funny.
It's quite accurate too in describing them. Cheers
funnily enuf, cny this yr is a public hol in aus-- cos it's australia day ;p how i wish it was a public hol here every yr, but then again, i wun get to celebrate it with my closed ones. lucky u, u still do.
ps: zewt u are eligible to give ang pow this yr now! *hint hint*
We Msians try to make it as festive as possible. We will be meeting up for makan sessions (fave msian past-time..) and a bit of one-lup! And those working have declared that since they have not worked during CNY ever, they aren't going to start now!! :D
But I am a bit at a loss here - I'm not sure how to get my kids into CNY. I sat back and thought about what CNY means to me. It meant shopping for new clothes (while getting into the mood with all the CNY songs and decorations in malls), helping mum bake cookies, having a reunion dinner with family, playing for-far at night, visiting relatives and friends - chatting and partaking in goodies not usually found during the rest of the year. A bit difficult to emulate over here, but I think I managed to instill a bit of the CNY mood here by decorating the hse and baking cookies. My girl declared that she too would make cookies for CNY when she grows up. Sure CNY is more that angpows, cookies and decorations, but it's a start to even have a tradition, no? But I still have not figured the one tradition which we can start that makes CNY special for my kids - something they will reminisce about to their kids, their good old days so to speak!
How about sharing what makes CNY for you? Commenting here has made me think a little bit more deeper about how to make CNY special for my little family away from home. Thanks!
Acute Critique - sigh...
Jed Yoong - you couldnt have said it better. and you know what? they choose to be so...
CSK - haha... i worked last CNY too as i was in London then. How i miss london... yee sang... dont lo yourself... lo with someone ya.
mh - yeah, i am really insisting that the eve family gathering dinner lives on... no compromise on that.
anon @ 20/1 4.20am - hahaha... well, i am sure many will want to take up that solution.
lynn-w - yeah, which is why we mid generation ppl must keep the fire going.
huei - hahahaha.... since that it the case, i dont need to give u if i see u... hahaha...
missironic - good idea huh... fantastic idea!
pinknpurplelizard - hehehe... yup... i am indirectly finding all sorts of reasons not to give ang pow... dont blow my bubble ler... :P
swee ping - hahahaha... the things ppl do for money.
Jacss - it's up to us to keep the spirit alive. and it begins now...
dy - wah.. u wanna give me ang pow? i dont mind oh...
Aoki - hahaha... first year of marriage was... last year! :P
LightsInTheDistance - glad you like it. there's a part 2 by the way :)
Jun - too bad you're in aust :)
kat - you have just inspired me.... :)
i still miss the old days..when i dun need to fork out anything for new clothes..wakakakaka..
Happy Chinese New Year in advance :)
it's ok...cny is about gathering with friends n families
...relatives...what!? ;P
reading this post just made me think of my family & i fear this CNY tradition will fade away by the next generation.
my father was an only child & was orphaned at an early age. my early memories of CNY were happy one as i had many cousins to share this joy with.
this year, my brother will not be back for the reunion (by choice) & my sis will spend hers with her in-laws. which leaves just my family with my aging parents. i think once they pass on, for the sake of my kids, the subsequent reunions will be spent with my in-laws.
faitit pop out a BB so that u wont feel the loss so much! :P
neno - hahahaha... we all need to grow up at some point.
huei - why not relatives ah?
doc - well, all the more you must do something... keep the spirit alive. i am not talking about wearing red or not cutting hair or not sweeping the floor... just a plain simple reunion dinner and visitation... simple right?
kyh - hahaha... you have a potential to be an accoutant.
roflmao... good one zewt...
happie CNY to u n ur family... now wers me angpow??? kekeke... kidding... :P
aSstHa - hehe... enough ang pow yet?
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