What I miss about Chinese New Year

Hello guys! Chinese New Year is approaching and sad to say I won’t be celebrating CNY with my family and friends this year. I have placement to do so I have to fly back earlier than usual. As much as I wanted to celebrate Chinese New Year with my family and friends, the atmosphere and everything has changed. I understand that change is inevitable but sometimes, you just wish things were how it used to be right?  Or sometimes, you just wish you could experience it once again after so long. There will always be times when you wish you were younger or that time would slow down. I am not saying that I regretted anything, but sometimes, and sometimes, I just longed for those bitter sweet memories spent with families and friends especially during Chinese New Year.

Today, I will write the 4 things I miss about Chinese New Year.

1. Chinese New Year delicacies

Don’t you just love Chinese New Year delicacies? From pineapple tart to kuih bangkit to bak gua. What is Chinese New Year without those high-calories-but-oh-so-yummy delicacies? Since young, both my grandmothers would make CNY cookies for the families. I would watch them make those delicious delicacies and sometimes, help them if possible. But I was still young; so I merely sit there and watch them do their magic. Hehe. But after my dad’s mum passed away more than 10 years ago, I never tasted the much-requested archa made by her, kuih sepit and all those delicacies. My mum’s mum would make different delicacies just for Chinese New Year and each time, my mum and aunties would go over to my grandma’s house to help out. They would spend hours and hours during weekends making the cookies. Sadly to say, after my grandma fell down and is incapable of making those cookies anymore, the quantity and types of delicacies decreases each year. We would just buy some of the delicacies outside and not make them anymore. They will only make some delicacies such as pineapple tart and in small quantity.

2. Fireworks

Who’s excited for fireworks during Chinese New Year?! To be honest, I am not a hardcore fan of fireworks, but it does make Chinese New Year that more happening with all those sounds and smoky smell. When my dad’s mum is still alive, each year, the day before Chinese New Year, dad’s side of the family would come over to our house and we would put the fireworks. Since my grandma’s passing, things like these stop. As time goes by and as we grew older, fireworks are seen less. The guys would prepare the fireworks and when the clock strikes 12, they would light up those fireworks and the little ones would watch with amusement. This so called tradition ends after my grandma passed away. There’s neither fireworks the day before Chinese New Year nor gathering. How I miss those times.

3. Family gathering

Who loves family gathering?! I know I do. I just love family gathering, catching up with the times lost spent busy with our own life. Festive seasons are the times when families gather together after losing contact with each other for almost a year. All those laughter and teasing, how I miss them. These are some of the precious times that will happen during family gathering. As we get older, family gathering seems to occur less. Some family might have migrated elsewhere and some might be studying abroad. Do cherish the moments spent during Chinese New Year, especially those family gatherings that are hard to come by. This brings me to my next point – Precious moments spent with families.

4. Precious times spent with immediate and extended family

You know how people always say – time waits for no one. That is so true. If you missed that one time, you will never get it back. Unless someone invents a time machine or time travel so that you can travel back in time. But hey, pigs don’t fly okay. That will never happen. Well at least it’s not happening now. Until then, time will always be ticking away.  Chinese New Year is the festive time where family members gather to catch up on the times lost that are spent on working and what not. I really miss those times! Family members just get together and talk and take lots of pictures together! With all the elders and younger ones. I love how the elders talk about their funny moments of the past to the younger ones. I remember laughing so hard that my abs is showing! Oh how funny! Do remember those times cause they are now the sweet memories you have with your family.

 What are some of the things you miss about Chinese New Year? I would love to know!

Till then.

Xoxo.