Forthcoming Chinese New Year

[Arkteia]

Date: 2/7/2010 11:14:06 AM
Author: jstarfireb

Date: 2/7/2010 12:43:15 AM
Author: Harriet
Does that mean you can read it too? Good for you! It''s a tough language.

Nope, I''m only learning spoken Mandarin (pinyin romanization).

Thanks chictomato!

I think it is great. Also your child will have a chance to learn Chinese from early age, and since it is a difficult language he''ll be at such an advantage over everyone else when he grows up, job-wise and in any other way. My son insisted on learning Russian, because, as he said, "It would be foolish not to use this opportunity". He is now fully bilingual and also speaks Italian. And my husband was also born in the Year of Tiger.
We have many Asians in WA, I think about 15%, but Chinatown is far away and I have not seen anyone celebrating Chinese new year in our neighborhood. I shall see if we can still book a table at one of downtown Chinese restaurants.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 2/7/2010 3:47:46 AM
Author: DiaDiva
I think the restaurants in Singapore will be hurting since the reunion dinner will be on the eve of Valentine''s and the first day of CNY is on the 14th. I don''t think there will be many who will be able to avoid dinner with the family on either day.


Not a problem for DH and I since we don''t celebrate and out of sheer perverseness prefer to go to a hawker centre on V-day.

I''m with you. Valentine''s doesn''t mean much to me, so I can''t stomach the markups on flowers and food. Have chai tow kuey for me, please.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 2/7/2010 11:14:06 AM
Author: jstarfireb

Date: 2/7/2010 12:43:15 AM

Author: Harriet

Does that mean you can read it too? Good for you! It''s a tough language.

Nope, I''m only learning spoken Mandarin (pinyin romanization).


Thanks chictomato!

Someday.

 

[chrono]

Valentines don''t do anything for me either. Yeah, I''m so unromantic. Crazy crowds, flowers fade and die, and chocolate? Most don''t even taste that great.

 

[haagen_dazs]

Date: 2/7/2010 3:47:46 AM
Author: DiaDiva
Not a problem for DH and I since we don''t celebrate and out of sheer perverseness prefer to go to a hawker centre on V-day.

niceeeeeeeee

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 2/7/2010 1:20:01 AM
Author: haagen_dazs
maybe i should buy a red gemstone for good luck

Wow! Great idea! Now my DH can''t wiggle out of it. As a Tiger, he should be proactive. Also, it is a Valentine - and while it doesn''t matter much to me either, it is still a good reason to buy me a stone. I always welcome the idea of new clothes. And red becomes me. I do not know what red packets mean (have to Google it) but is it OK if he puts a red stone into it?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I'm a Tiger too! Well, I was born in January before the lunar new year, so my parents like to call me a tiger with a rabbit nose, haha.

Hmmm...I really should get something new to wear for New Years...

I'm supposed to be teaching my hubby Chinese, but I'm not doing a great job since I don't really understand Chinese grammar myself. I speak mandarin fluently..but that's about it. I really need to improve my reading and writing.

 

[DiaDiva]

Date: 2/7/2010 4:49:46 PM
Author: Harriet

Date: 2/7/2010 3:47:46 AM

Author: DiaDiva

I think the restaurants in Singapore will be hurting since the reunion dinner will be on the eve of Valentine's and the first day of CNY is on the 14th. I don't think there will be many who will be able to avoid dinner with the family on either day.

Not a problem for DH and I since we don't celebrate and out of sheer perverseness prefer to go to a hawker centre on V-day.

I'm with you. Valentine's doesn't mean much to me, so I can't stomach the markups on flowers and food. Have chai tow kuey for me, please.

Harriet, I will certainly eat some on your behalf and I've also been DIY-ing with the chai tow kuey....I buy a biggish yam roll from the supermarket and fry it with chai por, tow gay, prawns and egg. Better than the ones they sell outside because I can put more "liao" into it. Yum.....

 

[DiaDiva]

Date: 2/7/2010 5:19:18 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
I''m a Tiger too! Well, I was born in January before the lunar new year, so my parents like to call me a tiger with a rabbit nose, haha.

Hmmm...I really should get something new to wear for New Years...

I''m supposed to be teaching my hubby Chinese, but I''m not doing a great job since I don''t really understand Chinese grammar myself. I speak mandarin fluently..but that''s about it. I really need to improve my reading and writing.

Yes, you need something new to wear...it''s tradition....it''s a good reason to go shopping!

I don''t really remember the writing bit but I can still read...it''s weird but Chinese is like that, isn''t it? Helps that I read the gongfu novels or sappy Taiwanese romances to practise my Chinese....

My DH looks Chinese (he''s Eurasian) but cannot speak a word of it...so whenever we visit China...it''s a tiring for me because I become the tour guide/translator!

 

[kas baby]

I''m nowhere near being Chinese, but, there is a group on campus that is putting on an Asian New Year celebration and I will be going to that. They are going to have performances and guest speakers, I''m very excited!

 

[packrat]

That sounds fun Kas! I wish we had more diversity here-between our (kick ass) Chinese restaurant in town and watching Ni Hao Kai Lan, that''s as diverse as we can get here.

 

[haagen_dazs]

Date: 2/7/2010 4:49:46 PM
Author: Harriet

Date: 2/7/2010 3:47:46 AM

Author: DiaDiva

I think the restaurants in Singapore will be hurting since the reunion dinner will be on the eve of Valentine's and the first day of CNY is on the 14th. I don't think there will be many who will be able to avoid dinner with the family on either day.



Not a problem for DH and I since we don't celebrate and out of sheer perverseness prefer to go to a hawker centre on V-day.

prefer bak chor mee

I'm with you. Valentine's doesn't mean much to me, so I can't stomach the markups on flowers and food. Have chai tow kuey for me, please.

prefer bak chor mee

 

[haagen_dazs]

Date: 2/7/2010 5:14:20 PM
Author: crasru

Date: 2/7/2010 1:20:01 AM

Author: haagen_dazs

maybe i should buy a red gemstone for good luck

Wow! Great idea! Now my DH can''t wiggle out of it. As a Tiger, he should be proactive. Also, it is a Valentine - and while it doesn''t matter much to me either, it is still a good reason to buy me a stone. I always welcome the idea of new clothes. And red becomes me. I do not know what red packets mean (have to Google it) but is it OK if he puts a red stone into it?

its the year of the golden tiger too.
its a good year for the tigers
the red packets can hold anything of blessings to you (eg monetary, gifts etc etc)

 

[DiaDiva]

Date: 2/7/2010 11:50:04 PM
Author: haagen_dazs

Date: 2/7/2010 4:49:46 PM

Author: Harriet

Date: 2/7/2010 3:47:46 AM


Author: DiaDiva


I think the restaurants in Singapore will be hurting since the reunion dinner will be on the eve of Valentine''s and the first day of CNY is on the 14th. I don''t think there will be many who will be able to avoid dinner with the family on either day.


Not a problem for DH and I since we don''t celebrate and out of sheer perverseness prefer to go to a hawker centre on V-day.

prefer bak chor mee

I''m with you. Valentine''s doesn''t mean much to me, so I can''t stomach the markups on flowers and food. Have chai tow kuey for me, please.

prefer bak chor mee

With lots of chor and hiam....I hope!

Are you from Singapore, Mark?

 

[sparkles]

Harriet,

Your red packet is waiting at my house...lol. With a few more goodies...

I''m very excited as my first born daughter will be completing 1 full chinese calendar cycle this year...There are 2 dragons, a tiger and a rooster in our house. The dragons are both males!

 

[Harriet]

Hubby wants to know what the traditions are. I told him no sweeping on CNY, tuan yuan fan on the Eve, and new clothing. Is he supposed to give me an ang pow?

 

[sparkles]

No, angpow Harriet....just a little red gemmy....lol

All lights on please.
No sweeping
Lots of noise....thats kinda normal in our house!
No fighting or cussing with anyone!

There must be more....

 

[sparkles]

Reference to traditions here;

http://www.familyculture.com/holidays/chinese_new_year.htm

 

[chrono]

No fighting, squabbling or scolding, no cleaning and all debts must be paid before the CNY. Spouses generally don’t exchange red packets, at least not in my family that I’ve observed.

 

[DiaDiva]

DH provides the money for the red packets though....

 

[Harriet]

Date: 2/8/2010 9:44:20 AM
Author: sparkles
Harriet,



Your red packet is waiting at my house...lol. With a few more goodies...



I''m very excited as my first born daughter will be completing 1 full chinese calendar cycle this year...There are 2 dragons, a tiger and a rooster in our house. The dragons are both males!

I''ll try to visit next year, I promise.

Is your daughter excited?

 

[Harriet]

Darn, no ang pow from hubby then.

Mark,
Red gemmies are expensive!

 

[Stone Hunter]

Thanks for the heads up about the New Year. I have a few friends to wish a "Happy New Year" to.

And Happy New Year to all the PSers!!

 

[haagen_dazs]

yeaaaappppp

Date: 2/8/2010 3:40:20 AM
Author: DiaDiva

Date: 2/7/2010 11:50:04 PM

Author: haagen_dazs

Date: 2/7/2010 4:49:46 PM


Author: Harriet

Date: 2/7/2010 3:47:46 AM



Author: DiaDiva



I think the restaurants in Singapore will be hurting since the reunion dinner will be on the eve of Valentine's and the first day of CNY is on the 14th. I don't think there will be many who will be able to avoid dinner with the family on either day.



Not a problem for DH and I since we don't celebrate and out of sheer perverseness prefer to go to a hawker centre on V-day.

prefer bak chor mee

I'm with you. Valentine's doesn't mean much to me, so I can't stomach the markups on flowers and food. Have chai tow kuey for me, please.

prefer bak chor mee

With lots of chor and hiam....I hope!

Are you from Singapore, Mark?

 

[haagen_dazs]

side tracking..
to all the sporeans. did you guys get a green card through the long h1b process or did you get it through your american spouse? if so how long did that take?

 

[haagen_dazs]

i think i killed this conversation when i side tracked...

anyways

have a great reunion dinner guys!!
i want my red packets!!
i have not spent CNY at home home for 10yrs now =((((
i need some bak kua

 

[Harriet]

Me too! Someone tried to bring me some last month, but it was confiscated.

 

[babydoll_mini]

Oh my god? so many PS-ers from China?
Happy Tiger''s Year!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Dumplings are tradition in Beijing from what I can tell, our family always makes a bunch to eat at least. And you're also supposed to cook a whole fish, but not eat all of it. And of course there must be Nian Gao. Yum!

And there's something about sweeping...but I don't remember.

In our family, only kids who are still in school get red packets. So if you're out of school and working, being a housewife, or dropped out of school, no red packet for you.

Happy new years eve!