Today is 初一, the first day of the Chinese New Year festive period.
This Chinese New Year is special for me because it is my first Chinese New Year spent at home in Singapore with my family in 2 years. In 2009, I missed Chinese New Year because it happened a bit later in the year and I couldn't celebrate it as I had to return to uni in Australia. Last Chinese New Year happened while I was on exchange in Leeds, so again, I had to celebrate on my own (by preparing a steamboat reunion dinner all by myself and taking a day off the next day). This year, Chinese New Year is pretty early, and it so happens that I'm in Singapore to celebrate it! It feels great to be invloved in the Chinese New Year preparations, eating the reunion dinner with my family the night before the New Year, visiting my relatives' houses on 初一 and eating New Year goodies while chatting with everyone.
Since Chinese New Year is celebrated by the majority of Singaporeans, today and tomorrow are public holidays (if only all 15 days of the Lunar New Year period were public holidays...). My family's done with visiting already, so for tomorrow we will most likely be going to see the New Year flower exhibition in Sentosa island.
Here's to a wonderful Year of the Dragon! 恭喜发财，万事如意!
