CNY bazaar at Ang Mo Kio Town Centre has HK & Taiwan goodies, festive lights & vibes till Jan. 24, 2020

Christmas is long over -- and it’s only the second week of January.

So, it can only mean it's time for another season of giving.

Or receiving, for the single folks.

The sudden switch from Christmas jingles to bustling, festive Mandarin songs is a sure sign that Chinese New Year is coming.

With the festive season just around the corner, a Chinese New Year bazaar is being held in Ang Mo Kio Town Centre, selling everything you need to prepare for the celebrations.

Goodies imported from HK, Taiwan & China

A home without pineapple tarts and love letters during Chinese New Year isn’t a Chinese home.

The CNY bazaar at Ang Mo Kio Town Centre adds a slight twist to some of their snacks, where goodies imported from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China are also available.

Apparently, their mochi sweets have been their all-time bestseller.

Salted egg yolk-flavoured fried crab stick chips are also among fan favourites.

And, of course, free samples are provided.

One-stop CNY shopping spot

Of course, no Chinese New Year is complete without the tradition of giving red packets, possibly the favourite (or least favourite) part of the celebrations for some, such as evergreen singles.

Keeping cute and interesting red packets has become a habit for some.

Some of these CNY red packets this year are filled with rat puns.

All sorts of Chinese New Year decors are also for sale, from lanterns to flowers.

If you’re not really into the CNY shopping, go ahead and kill some time in the claw machine area, fully stocked with plushies.

Festive “dining under the stars” lighting

To add to the festive mood, the entire square has been done up with CNY-esque lighting.

Shoppers may also drop by the “Fortune God” statues placed around the bazaar, and read their fortunes for the upcoming lunar year.

The area beside S11 coffee shop has also been decorated with mood lighting and allocated for diners to enjoy their grub.

If you’re lucky, you might also get to enjoy some busking during your meal.

Photo competition with prizes up to S$1,000 for grabs

During this festive period, the Ang Mo Kio Constituency Merchants Association is also holding its first-ever photography competition, with prizes of up to S$1,000 cash up for grabs.

The competition, “My Ang Mo Kio Town Centre”, is inviting participants to take photos of people and decorations in Ang Mo Kio Town Centre, and share them on social media by Jan. 17, 2020.

All Singapore citizens and residents may participate in the competition, by following the criteria as followed:

1.Like the AMKCMA Facebook page.

2.Like the AMKCMA Instagram page.

3.Post your photos on the AMKCMA Facebook and Instagram with the hashtags #myamk #amktowncentre #amkcny

The top three submissions will be awarded S$1,000, S$500, and S$300 cash prizes respectively.

If you want to avoid the massive crowd in Chinatown while doing your CNY shopping, the AMK CNY Bazaar is worth a trip down if you live nearby.

Address:

Ang Mo Kio Central 2, beside Ang Mo Kio Hub.

This article is obviously sponsored by Ang Mo Kio Constituency Merchants Association, so that this broke writer can do some CNY shopping for herself as well.

Top image via Julia Yeo, Kane Goh