Keong Hee Huat Zai (恭喜发财) - Our Family Usual Schedule for the First Day of Chinese New Year!

Keong Hee Huat Zai (恭喜发财)! Wishing all readers a happy Goat year and may the new lunar year bring to you happiness, prosperity, good health and a smooth sailing year!

I wouldn't say my family is extremely traditional when it comes to carrying out the customs and rituals associated with Chinese festivals although it is a must to pray to the Sky God (Jade Emperor actually) in the early morning of the new year.

The same goes for the god honoured in our house and our ancestors too! The last day of the lunar new year is also an excuse for kids to stay past midnight as it was believed that the later you stay up, the longer your parents' life! Being the filial son i am (plus the need to finish up a Korean drama), i stayed up till 2.30 am and only managed to pull myself out of bed at close to 10 am! 

A bowl of sweet soup that was filled with ginkgo nuts, dried longans to start the new year. You have to drink it with a hard boiled egg! Darn, i had like three more bowls before i stepped out of the house. :(

They only stormed into my house past noon! As we do house visits as a family, i had ample time from 10 till 12 to eat and eat and of course, blog on Frozen Korea Ice Desserts Cafe!

Receiving my ang pow (red packets) from my parents and elder sister! In local Singapore customs, an unmarried person would continue to receive red packets; a bit embarrassed to receive them when i am about to turn 35 but hey, how to reject people's well wishes right!?

First house visit - to my tua pek (eldest brother of my father) house in Yishun!

Of course, loads of goodies in every house!!! I had a hard time resisting the temptations but eventually succumbed towards the end of the house visits. All of them were super high in calories! :(

After visiting my second aunt, it would be a 20-30 minute drive to Sin Ming Road, at this area known as five hundred rooms in Hokkien (gor-ba keng); most of my grand aunts / uncles live here! A lot of catching up to do here as we meet up with this group of extended family only once a year.

Jovyn complaining about her uncomfortable shoes. I had to carry her and it's no easy feat given she is soon to top 20 kilograms on the weighing scale.

Photos with our grand godmother! She is getting more forgetful now but as alert as always! Lol. I was supposed to take a group photos for all the house visits! Conveniently slipped my mind as we had such a great time catching up with one another. By the time i was done for the day, it was past 8pm!  

[All photos taken using Olympus TG-3]