Every lunar new year, my paternal relatives and us will gather at my grandma's place on 初一, to exchange new year greetings, red packets, mandarin oranges and 'help out' with clearing of new year goodies. And in between all that chomping on mixed nuts and pineapple tarts, some of us will start playing Blackjack, some will be watching T.V. and the rest will probably be fussing over the youngest one in the family.
On the second day of Chinese New Year, we meet up (again) with the same paternal relatives at Grandma's place, and once everyone's present, we will set off for the houses of all the relatives who are present to '拜年' again, and of course, to clear all the CNY goodies in their homes. I've been thinking that, perhaps next time round, I can spend the time visiting friends, or other relatives that I've yet to visit instead of heading to the homes of the relatives whom I've just spent nearly an entire day with. Is it just me and my family who has this practice, or do you guys actually do the same thing back home?
Most of the extended family; taken at my 大伯's Tanjong Rhu condo.
If you're thinking why I haven't talked about visiting my maternal relatives, I usually don't because about 85% of them are in Penang. I stopped CNY visits to Penang when I was in primary school; & I really miss CNYs in Penang, because you get to set off fire-crackers and those were the highlights of my Penang CNYs back then.
Mums and I were wearing dresses in the same shade of navy green.
Anyhow, YF did most of the driving today and I am so glad that I can finally NOT be driving all the time. There were times where he gave us slight frights but mostly, he's safe. Like me usually, but not today. I got really tired and annoyed by the end of the day with my dried-up contact lens and it affected my visibility on the expressway; I made a few careless lane-cuts and over-takings, and I think I gave my family quite a few bad scares there too.
It was never that apparent to me in the past, but this year, I find myself observing how long-winded and auntie-like my aunties (and Mumsy too) can get. Not only that, I also find myself worrying that I'd end up long-winded and auntie-like like them a few years down the road. The thought of me turning into people like them scares me, and it totally makes me wish that I can be forever 21!
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