The Year Of The Rabbit Is Here

The Year Of The Rabbit begins today. Celebration of the Chinese New Year actually begins on the eve. That's when the reunion dinner takes place. For my family, we go to my MIL for the special dinner.

The special feature of this dinner is lo hei. It consists of a salad dish - my MIL is quite creative with salad. This year she makes it fruity and I think there's abalone as well. If you've never witnessed a lo hei session, it's quite a sight. Everyone uses chopsticks to toss the salad in the air while yelling out their wishes for the year.

It is a tradition to visit your close relatives on the first two days of Chinese New Year. Today alone, we went to three homes.

Oh, did I mention the Cosmo bag would be my Chinese New Year bag? See, it matched my outfit. I think I've mentioned before how important it is to wear some red for auspicious days? This year I went black-and-white! Just to be safe, I telephoned me mom and told her about my colour choice for my outfit. She said, no problem! My mom is so cool.

I thought it would be interesting to show you some handmade or traditional items found in the homes I visited.

This doily-embroidery cover for the piano is from my MIL's home.

It looks like hand crochet and hand embroidery.

At the first home we visited today, I couldn't find any handmade items. I'm serious. But it's a very traditional looking home and in the image above, you are looking at traditional goodies. The strange looking orange cupcake is a steamed cake which is traditionally offered during prayers. It does not taste good. Just very sweet and coarse. See the splitting of the dough at the top? It signifies prosperity bursting forth.

At my mom's home the only handmade items were the bags made by me! Here you see me mom with her great grandson. All week Singapore had been raining persistently, sometimes just a drizzle, sometimes heavily. Me mom actually telephoned me to say it's ol' black turtle pissing down on Singapore from the sky. She's 80ish. I think when you grow as old as 80ish, you earn the right to say things like "ol' black turtle is pissing down from the sky" whenever it rains.

I had more luck in the last home I visited. It's like time stood still here. How long have these Chinese New Year decorations been hanging on the wall? This home belongs to my aunt-in-law. She's into handmade stuff so it's no surprise.

Check out the doily.

These are crochet - like granny squares?

Another crochet creation - this time a cushion cover. And that's all I could unearth.

Lastly, I wish everyone good health and good fortune in the Year Of The Rabbit. See you.