Chinese New Year Gifts & Festivals

 

Chinese New Year gifts at Fairprice. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

Who celebrates Chinese New Year, also called the Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival? Apparently as many as a fifth of the world's population.

In the Singapore fruit section and by checkouts and in a whole section devoted to gifts, I see lots of oranges. Also boxes and see-through bottles containing cookies, white or brown. The bottles and boxes have red and gold labels.  Red or gold or silver tops seal the screw-top bottles.

"What do you give for New Year?" I asked a friend.

 You will see lots of boxes of oranges. 

My Singaporean friend, V, explained: "You give children red packets containing money.  As for adults, as you are a Westerner, you can give a box of chocolates. We give oranges, not the usual oranges, but Mandarin oranges, the sort you can peel."

If you have a lot of guests, you can buy hampers of snacks, or give a hamper to a client.

You can buy flower, plants, baskets of fresh fruit, cakes.

Plants

Bamboo which grows quickly is considered lucky. It is a symbol of strength.

Kumquats, orange colour, or orange coloured limes, on small or large trees, the trees shaped into spheres or ovals, symbolize prosperity. You see the colourful trees outside hotels and public buildings, either side of the entrance or both sides.

Food

Drink

Baiju Chinese wine.

 Mixed chocolates, including Durian flavour.

Mooncakes - not only for autumn festivals. All flavours.

Useful Websites

https://www.fnp.sg/blog/lunar-new-year-celebrations-around-the-world

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year

https://www.lazada.sg/products/chinese-spicesmid-autumn-festival-360g-gift-box-multi-flavored-liquid-moon-cakes-old-fashioned-traditional-moon-cakes-i2023354104-s11030818190.html?exlaz=d_1:mm_

About the Author

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books including  Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

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Books by Angela Lansbury
How to be the best man. (Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Wedding Speeches and Toasts.(Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Unforgettable British Weekends.
Poetry Workshop Workbook.
The Tailor and the Spy. (Lulu.)
Larry The Talking Labrador. (Lulu.)
Writing Poetry for fun.

Quick Quotations

Who Said What When