Sunday, February 7, 2021

What you can enjoy at Chinese New Year: decorations, money and food

Entrance hall at the Tanglin Club, Singapore.
 

In Singapore lion dances and singing are banned because of Covid-19. However, there is still a lot to enjoy.

1 The lights, reduced this year, along with fireworks displays. to prevent crowds.

However you can enjoy:

1 Paper Decorations

2 Red packets

Red packets contain money for children and unmarried relatives from the parents and married couples. Maybe it was simpler in the olden days. A bit like giving Xmas presents to kids. Now the older unmarrieds are doing well in receiving gifts. But the married couples are complaining they have to give out so many packets. Even to the elderly. 

3  Pineapple tarts

The name which sounds like fung lee also means prosperity and good luck. Pineaples tarts are delicious. Sweet. Fruit preserved in pastry. Tasty. Filling. Fattening.  

However, they look bite size. But one bite is a lot of calories. 

You can find them in the form of a small pastry cup. Or a ball covered with pastry with the sweet filling. The top of the ball is a shiny colour from a brush of egg white or yolk or sugar glaze.

4 Mandarin oranges

Supermarkets are likely to stock boxes of three types. If you are stuck at home on homestay you are likely to get a leaflet about them and other goodies when you get a delivery. By the time we had received the first leaflet, the online ordering was already out of stock of the variety pack. We were going to treat ourselves to a taste test to get to know whether there was once kind of orange we preferred. We hoped that the supermarkets would re-stock. Now we knew, no point in delaying and hoping for prices to come down after the holiday.

The cheapest so you can hand two oranges for good luck, health and prosperity to customers, friends and acquaintances. Better oranges. Variety packs.

Useful Websites

Tanglin Club

Fairprice Supermarket

About the Author

Angela Lansbury teacher of English (advanced and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, aspiring polyglot.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 
She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:
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