Gong Xi Fa Cai

This past Sunday was Chinese New Year and there was a huge build up to the holiday and the week long celebration. It is the biggest holiday for the Chinese who make up 80% of Singapore’s population. Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year somewhere between January 21 and February 20, falling on the second new moon after the winter solstice. This year is the year of the Tiger and as they say here – Gong Xi Fa Cai – Best Wishes for a Prosperous and Happy New Year!

The Chinese New Year celebrations are marked by visits to relatives and friends. More Chinese travel on this holiday than at any other time, it is said to be the greatest human migration in modern history. New clothes are worn to signify a new year with the color red being used liberally in all decorations. On the days before the New Year celebration, Chinese families give their home a thorough cleaning. It is believed the cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. Brooms are put away for the holiday so the luck cannot be swept away. Most have a family dinner on New Year’s Eve and then go down to Chinatown for celebrations at midnight. Dan and I went to Chinatown around 9pm and it was so crowded then, that I cannot imagine the crowd at midnight!

Red envelopes, hong bao, are given by parents and family to the children. The red packets usually contain money ranging from small amounts to several hundred dollars. The money is always given in even numbers with the number 8 being especially lucky because in Chinese saying the number 8 sounds like the word for wealth. Odd numbers are not given because they are associated with cash given during funerals. Also the number 4 is unlucky because saying it sounds like the word for death.

Dragon and lion dances are held during the holiday. It is believed that the loud beats of the drum and the deafening sounds of the cymbals together with the face of the dragon or lion dancing aggressively can evict bad or evil spirits. They are held in the streets, in front of temples and even inside retail stores as this photo shows. We ran into this lion with his band of drummers in the cosmetic section of a local department store.  He even went up the escalator!

Most people get 2 days off for the holiday and most stores are closed for the actual New Year’s Day with many Chinese owned stores closed for the entire week.

A large parade is held at the end of the week with fireworks culminating the holiday. This year the parade was held at the huge Formula 1 grandstands near the Singapore Flyer. It was an amazing parade with over 7,500 participants, 15 large floats, firecrackers, stilt walkers, dragon and lion dancers.
Here are a few video links of the parade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60yMGkVz4gk
Stilt walkers at the opening of the parade - walking with fireworks on their backs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MBvEgQmL2c
Fire-eaters & Firecrackers! The noise was deafening. Look at all the people with their hands over their ears!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrXMpi-bPTA
Lion and Dragon dancers!