It's the first time I won't be home for Chinese New Year.

As I grew older, I found myself enjoying CNY more, but can’t help feeling as though most traditions have been scrapped away with.

Being far away from home for a student exchange in Mexico has forced me to reflect how it was when I was a child, to try and remember every single detail and feeling of how CNY used to be.

As one of the Chinese in class, I was asked to do a presentation on CNY. Below are the five traditions that I miss when I'm away.

1. Making paper lanterns for decoration

I miss... being asked to bring homemade paper lanterns made out of red packets to decorate our classroom in primary school.

Of course I had help doing it - thank you mum and dad!

Of course I managed to create more of these simple lanterns myself:

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Than these complicated ones by my parents and relatives:

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Of course my favorite lantern was/is still the fish:

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Together with its stick-on eyes that I (morbidly) loved to squeeze.

It seems like most of what we have around our house nowadays consists only of oranges, lots of goodies and a few Chinese couplets here and there.

Maybe I haven’t been looking around enough. Maybe red packet lanterns have grown out of favor with the younger generation. Maybe it’s just my family and relatives. Maybe.

I remembered first being fascinated with the origin of Chinese New Year in school.

Sometimes I can’t help wishing we studied more about our culture than of the corporate world (in my case).

Learning about the origin at such a young age and not being exposed to it since has definitely played a part in my detachment from the festival.

2. Having all your relatives gather at the same house every year

I miss... gathering at my grandparent’s home every first day of Chinese New Year for steamboat dinner. Every relative would be present and we would spend the whole day together.

The next few days comprised of making our way to each relative’s house. It was one of those rare moments where no one complained about having to make his/her way from Woodlands to Changi, and everyone cast aside all quarrels to at least be in the same venue.

It seems like as you grow older, you spend more time during Chinese New Year visiting the families of your CCA friends, classmates, partners, or overseas than we do with our own family, or our extended family.

Some of us just stay home because we are now the subject of so many questions about our school, career and relationships.

3. Singing CNY songs, having to wear traditional costumes and visit Chinatown

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I miss… the fact that I was forced to sing Chinese New Year songs in primary and secondary school. I was also one of those who barely dressed up in a traditional outfit to school, and would complain of the crowd, heat and noise everytime my parents tried getting me along to Chinatown.

As I grew older, I found myself smiling to the old-school Chinese New Year songs playing on the streets, and frowning at the newer songs. I now take the initiative to ask my parents to go over to Chinatown, since they had given up on asking me.

4. Being forced to wear red when you were younger

I miss… being irritated by the fact that I had to wear red from top to bottom and feel like an apple every Chinese New Year because my parents insisted that wearing black or any other dark colors were inauspicious.

I remember how they relented as I grew older and the colours of my wardrobe every Chinese New Year became less red and more neutral.

I remember how I used to go shopping with my Mom for Chinese New Year clothes.

Sometimes, shopping for Chinese New Year clothes just became synonymous with shopping for our wardrobe for school in the year ahead instead.

5. Having your parents work OT a few weeks before CNY

I miss...waiting for my Dad’s return to have a proper meal with him.

I remember my father working more than usual for days on end. The reasons he cites are always:

(a) “CNY coming, more business to do”

(b) “How to give angpao if I don’t work. You receive I give you know.”

(c) To be able to buy more luxury dishes such as abalone, sea cucumber etc for us because he values an elaborate family meal on Chinese New Year (my Mom actually revealed this to me in private)

Speaking of food, I also miss the sticky rice cakes that we hardly ever seem to eat nowadays. Pineapple tarts and love letters are amazing, but the sticky rice cakes are grandmother-kind-of-amazing.

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Nowadays, most of us have either never tried it, or only seen it in its commercial packaging:

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Have a beautiful time with your loved ones this Chinese New Year!

Top photo from Chinatown Festivals Facebook.

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