Chinese New Year is just a month away and is the most significant and well celebrated festive season for the Chinese community around the world. This Lunar New Year falls on Feb 12’ 2021 and is the Year Of The Ox. Decorations are starting to be up everywhere and it is hard not to feel the festive mood.
At the Singapore Gardens By The Bay Flower Dome, decorations are up to usher in the Year Of The Ox. Lion dance is one of the most important tradition and it is performed to bring prosperity and good luck, and also a way to create festive atmosphere and bring happiness.
It is usually a very busy few weeks leading up to the New Year. Spring cleaning; shopping for new clothes; baking cakes and cookies; stocking up groceries and fresh market food; etc..are some of the most basic happenings.
This year, I am so thrilled to get to uniquely experience food tasting of home made traditional goodies that I cannot help but to share them here 😊.
Home Made Goodies
So privileged to be the food taster for these home-made cookies made by my niece, her first attempt for all of them.
These are all time favourites MUST HAVE goodies which you would find in almost every home during the Chinese New Year celebration. Each of these has its significance and auspicious meaning to it.
1. Ba Kwa, which is barbecued pork jerky. The deep red colour is considered auspicious in Chinese tradition and symbolises good luck.
2. Nian Gao, its a sticky rice cake. Nian sounds like “year” and Gao sounds like “high” in Chinese. So eating Nian Gao is popular as it is symbolic of going to greater heights each year.
3. Pineapple Tarts tastes delicious and is well-loved for its Hokkien pronunciation “Ong Lai” – which means prosperity is arriving.
4. Almond Cookies, the original old legion shape was round and symbolises gold coin for good fortune. Modern days bakers get more creative with the different shapes.
They were all super delicious and quite an amazing feat for the first attempt !
Marketing Connections
Biggest event on Chinese New Year Eve is the reunion dinner, during which family members get together to celebrate. It is often considered the most important get-together meal of the entire year.
Many fresh markets stalls would be operating 24 hours the day prior to the eve, although the trend is changing with more and more stalls closing days earlier.
You almost need to build a personal relationship with these vendors to be able to secure the limited fresh supply nearer to New Year Day.
These 4 vendors at Ghim Moh Market are my favourites and I would usually order ahead with them via WhatsApp.
1. Jenny for the fresh kampong Chicken direct from Malaysia and they offer home delivery too.
2. James for fresh seafood direct from deep sea and he can fillet an entire big fish ahead for your quick pick up for pre-order.
3. Ah Kwang for pork and he is the most knowledgeable vendor I have come across so far. Just tell him what you want to cook, and he will pick the right meat part for you !
4. No pre-order for vegetables, as yet.
Being a seasonal cook, it has been extremely helpful to make friends with these vendors personally and have their advices on what to buy for the intended dish.
Ushering In The Year Of Ox
So, are you ready to celebrate and usher in The Year Of The Ox ?
Whatever the traditions are, feasts or parades may be, the most important thing is coming together with our family and friends in harmony.
Goodbye Rat and let’s welcome The Year Of The Ox with a blast ! Let’s wish that this Ox will bring the world lots of Prosperity, Harmony and Peace, and it will be an Ox that rewards everyone of us with Successes, Safety and Good health !
Lyn 🌻😊
Lyn,
Cheerful and bursting with well wishes. Thank you. I will miss the decorations and displays in Changi Airport, Chinatown or Orchard Road. Enjoy Spring cleaning and putting up my name in your home.
Hope you will be back to Singapore soon 🙂
Wow! I can feel the CNY mood after reading your blog and admiring the CNY goodies and pictures! This will be a HAPPY OX year!
May you have fun preparing to welcome the Happy Ox year too 🙂
Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to CNY! And hope that the year of the Ox will bring about peace and chase away all the plague that came with the year of the Rat!
Let’s all 加油 together!
Yes Goodbye Rat ! Looking forward to welcoming the Ox 🙂 !
I am thinking of ba kwa now. Haha
Yummy 🙂
Thanks for all the good tips on the vendors in Ghim Moh… will check it out
Ox represents sacrifice, a symbol of redemption in the Bible…looking forward to a better year…
HUAT ah!
Huat Ah 🙂 !
Yes, all the very Best Wishes for The Year Of The Ox !
Love the GM vendor recommendations.. Must check it out.
Ok how about you share your Singapore cny fried rice step by step photos..
Wow fried rice cooking steps is a good challenge, motivates me now to practise my cooking 🙂
Hi Lyn,
Thanks for sharing information & photos. Now i am aware chinese new year falls on 12 feb and year of the Ox. Singapore chinese new year celebrations bring back so much joys for my family. Pineapple tarts means prosperity. Love it!!
I feel very excited when the store opens till midnight on new year’s eve. Chinese new year for my memories in a kampong days must have new clothes, shoes and having carbonated favour orange drinks in hot weather, munching the titbits and cookies nonstop when you visit relatives. In Australia chinese new year we still have to work as normal days. No atmosphere!!
Family & friends you are invited to my home to welcome the year of the Ox on 13 feb.
LOVE, Sheena
Such nice childhood memories 🙂 Trust you would have a joyful celebration in Australia !
This CNY will really be different for many of us with Simplify hanging round our neck…
Take it in your stride and hope you still find time to enjoy some family times 🙂
Hello Lyn
Happy CNY Haut ah!
Wish year of the ox will be a great year for everyone and bye-bye to covid 19 don’t come back and don’t call us. Love Benny ❤
Yes Benny, wishing you a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous Lunar New Year ahead !
Hello Lyn interesting article to welcome all goodness in the year of the ox. Thank u Lyn for sharing and wishing everyone a prosperous and healthy ox year ahead. May I wish u and all your readers have an abundant year of the ox and all your hearts’ wishes come true.
Thank you Eliza and wishing you a prosperous and healthy ox year ahead too !