This photo was taken in Toa Payoh at ground level above the MRT railway station.
A quick guide to what to see and do in Singapore for Chinese New Year.
1 Decorations all over Singapore, especially in shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, community centres, office building lobbies, and entrances to apartment blocks.
2 Red packets in which you place money for unmarried relatives, or discount coupons for customers.Ideally use multiples of eight which is a lucky number.
3 Lo Hei dinners in restaurants and clubs. I thought Lo Hei was invented in Singapore but a girl from Hong Kong claimed it was a Hong Kong custom.
4 Oranges, pairs of oranges, are given to friends, family, customers, and passed from one person to another.
5 Expert airports to be busy, flights fully booked, long queues and high prices during the festive season.
6 Reunion dinners for families on the first day of the Chinese New Year, friends or more distant family members on day two.
7 At Toastmasters International speakers' clubs (of which there are about 250) visitors are asked to say their name and what they like to do for Chinese New Year.
8 The traditional greeting is displayed everywhere :
恭喜发财 (gōng xǐ fā cái) Wish you wealth and prosperity.
Chinese New Year changes with the calendar. In 2017 it starts Saturday January 28th.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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