Enter the Dragon

It's hard to believe that another 12 months have passed by and we're welcoming yet another new year. 2012 is the Year of the Dragon and one wonders what is in store for us, especially after reading what they say about the Mayan calendar and the Armageddon prophecy.

Whatever it is, I see that Penangites are carrying on as usual, rushing to the market to buy items for the New Year. Doomsday may be coming but Chinese New Year comes first!!

Putting all that aside, traditionally Chinese New Year begins with the sending off of the Kitchen God on the 24th day of the 12th month of the Chinese lunar calendar. As Penangites will know, the Kitchen God returns to Heaven on this day to report to the Jade Emperor on the behaviour of each household during the past year. A good report from Him means good fortune and good luck for the new year! So to ensure He says all things good, we "bribe" Him with sweet offerings like Mandarin oranges and "ti kuih" ("kueh Bakul"). The latter is a must as it is not only sweet but sticky, so hopefully He won't be able to say much! Incidentally, He returns to earth on the 4th day of the New Year, so we welcome Him back with similar offerings.

"Ti kuih" or "kueh bakul"

Another important C.N.Y. custom is "tek nee" - the placing of offerings on the altar on New Year's eve for a good beginning to the new year. It takes a lot of work, and patience, to decorate the items for prayer with red paper. Despite escalating prices of prayer paraphernalia, people still buy. For example, a small pineapple flower costs from RM5 to RM7 each, which I think is daylight robbery!

"Ong Lai Wah" or pineapple flowers

"Huat Kuih

"Huat kuih" symbolises good luck and prosperity and a small one like what you see in the picture costs RM3!

The bottle gourd or "pu wah" is a symbol of

wealth and longevity.

Our "tek nee" offerings to Kuan Yin

This year we decided to have our reunion dinner at a restaurant by the sea. We were surprised that there was little traffic on the way there, which made our evening less hectic and our meal more enjoyable.

Chinese New Year's eve usually ends with prayers to welcome in the new year at around midnight. As usual, Mum had bought a giant joss-stick which burns for something like 12 hours to ensure a smooth transition from the old to the new year.

Whatever the predictions for this year, I shall remain optimistic. Let's just live and let live, forgive and forget, give more and grab less - and perhaps we can face the mighty Dragon with less trepidation and anxiety.