Yeah, yeah ... I know my post seems somewhat a tad late. The Chinese Lunar New Year is over by now. Yesterday was the last day of this grand celebration of the Chinese community. 15-days ... sigh, how fast time flies!

The Chinese New Year (CNY) and Christmas are probably the two festivals and celebrations that I most look forward to every year. Yes, these two celebrations are very stressful on the pockets and bank account, but then I really do enjoy these two festivals the most. Probably because I like shopping for the gifts and decorations, the simple joy of giving and receiving, and the gathering of family, relatives and friends :)

As families prepare for CNY, the list could go on really long with so many things to buy, so many things to prepare for. But for me, a few simple things don my home as the celebration draws near.

Cookies. I don't make them! I buy them in tins and containers, in a variety of them. The rather common ones are the kuih bangkit, kuih kapit, pineapple tarts, peanut cookies, dragon cookies, etc. But no, I had to include some uncommon ones. Almond chocolate cookies, butter cashew nut cookies.



Oh, we also have the fried nga-gu (chinese arrowhead) but I didn't get any pictures of them. This year, I fried them myself. Enough for self-consumption and for gifts as well! Oh, if you plan on frying them yourselves, try not to wait until the last minute to buy the arrowheads. Yes, they may be cheaper, but it can be quite difficult to get your hands on good and fresh ones!

Kuaci. Red melon seeds. Put them in a nice bowl, and top it with a lime and an ang-pow.



Nian-gao. Some sweet, goo-ey stuffs that you can later on fry and eat. It's really good if you like sweet stuffs. Usually, I get them in a pair. Wrap around with some red paper, and top them with some lime. Place with an ang-pow.



Mandarin oranges. They come in big and small. Supposingly the smaller ones are said to be sweeter! But big or small, I don't mind!



Decors and ornaments. Red and gold ornaments decorate the plants, doors, walls, etc. The rather common plants you'll find in lieu of CNY are bamboos, pussy willows, and plum blossoms.



There are many more things apart from those I mentioned. The list could go on really, really long. And the variety becomes more as the years go on!

This is what I call a fortune bean. When you purchase it off the shelf, it comes as a golden egg. Then you will need to crack open the top, and water the soil inside the egg little-by-little, day-by-day. And as the day passes, a bean/plant grows out of the soil. And the cheesy part of it, is that there's a 4-D number on the bean! Go figure ... *LOL*



So ... what do you decorate your homes with?

Labels: celebration