Taiwan singer celebrates 1st CNY with S’porean husband, jokes about exchanging oranges ‘back & forth’

After getting married to her Singaporean husband in 2025, Taiwanese singer-songwriter Ariel Tsai recently celebrated Chinese New Year in Singapore for the first time in February 2026.

Lianhe Zaobao reported that Tsai, whose family resides in Canada, shared with Taiwan media her experiences with local customs, including "lo hei" and exchanging oranges, which Tsai found "quite interesting".

Packed schedule

Tsai, who wrote the wedding anthem "Canon in Love" with over five million views on YouTube, did not fly to Singapore until 8am on Chinese New Year's Eve due to a packed work schedule in Taiwan, according to Zaobao.

Upon landing, the singer immediately rushed to her family's hotpot reunion dinner and barely had time to help prepare the ingredients.

She visited four different placeson the first day of the New Year, from her grandmother's house to her in-laws and relatives.

"The itinerary was incredibly packed, and as an introvert, I'm still adjusting," she said.

Different customs

Speaking about the differences regarding celebrations in Singapore and Taiwan, she noted that Singapore has a unique "lo hei" culture.

This is where a group of people gather around a large platter of raw fish salad, tossing it high with long chopsticks while exchanging auspicious greetings, creating a lively atmosphere.

Since people exchange two oranges as a gesture of goodwill during New Year's greetings, Tsai jokingly remarked that she was constantly carrying a bag of oranges and "exchanging them back and forth".

She added that she felt very surprised and fortunate that newlyweds can still receive red packets during their first year of marriage.

Top photos via Ariel Tsai/Facebook