8 Chinese New Year Customs That Are Definitely Worth The Effort
With so many Chinese New Year traditions and so little time to prepare for it, it's best to focus on the most important customs that are worth the effort.
Save time and skip the stress by sticking to our list of eight CNY customs to start the new year right and have a fun and memorable celebration!
Keep reading to find out more!
1) Spring cleaning
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Spring cleaning your home is known as "sweeping away the dust" and represents bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the New Year. Besides cleaning for the sake of tradition, a thorough cleaning is a great opportunity to resort your belongings and create more efficient storage methods. This will make your home stay neat for the rest of the year!
2) Fix or replace old/faulty appliances and furniture
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A new year calls for new things! Chinese New Year is a great time to push yourself to toss out your old and malfunctioning household appliances and replace them with newer versions that will make the rest of your year more pleasant.
Simply changing spoilt lightbulbs, fixing loose screws and replacing old cushions and hardware can refresh the look of your home! You can find everything you need to fix up your home at MR.DIY which offers a staggering variety of products from hardware and household items to computer and phone accessories. They also have a section of Chinese New Year decorations!
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Photo from Girlstyle Singapore
If your home has faulty home appliances, you can find a variety of choices at Harvey Norman where purchases will be delivered within 1-5 working days for orders placed between Monday to Friday, before 6pm, for products that do not require external sourcing.
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To make things convenient, you can find both MR.DIY and Harvey Norman at KINEX!
3) Give yourself a new look
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A new haircut, shoes and clothes symbolise a new beginning. Even if you're not particular about traditions, Chinese New Year is a great excuse to splurge and pamper yourself to look your best!
If you haven't decided on a CNY outfit yet, you can try out our three unique outfit ideas to stand out from the crowd and wow your relatives!
4) Stock up on goodies
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What is Chinese New Year without delicious festive snacks to indulge in? Remember to stock up your home with snacks and leave some to gift when you go on house visits!
If you don't fancy wading through the CNY crowds and frenzy at the more mainstream supermarkets, head to Excellente by HaoMart at KINEX for a more relaxing shopping experience that feels like you're not in Singapore!
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Eccellente by HAO mart is a premium supermarket chain that provides an elevated retail experience with a spectrum of exclusive products from Taiwan and around the world to choose from. Besides traditional Chinese New Year snacks, you can also pick up unique treats like the famous cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.
5) Prepare red packets
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This is a given that can't be missed out! Receiving red packets signifies a wish for health, growth, and good studies in the coming year and is something that kids look forward to every Chinese New Year!
You can get matching Red Packets (6pcs) and Mandarin Carrier Bags when you spend $88*($68* for U-POPP members) at KINEX Mall from 3 Jan to 8 Feb 2020. On top of that, receive an exclusively-designed Fortune Tiffin when you spend $188* ($168* for U-POPP members) and above. For more information visit: kinex.com.sg.
6) Remember Chinese New Year greetings
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Although younger generations may not practice this tradition religiously, the older generation will definitely appreciate you making the effort to learn Chinese New Year greetings!
7) Prepare a big feast
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Good food is essential for Chinese New Year to feel like a special occasion! Some delicious and lucky food to prepare for your reunion dinner are chicken, fish, dumplings, sweet rice balls (tangyuan), pomelo and tangerines.
Preparing a meal for a large extended family is a stressful task that requires quite a bit of planning and work. A way to make food preparations more convenient is to go for frozen food as it's cheaper, easier, lasts longer and retains nutrients and vitamins.
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Tasty Farm by Song Fish at KINEX Mall has a large variety of affordable frozen food that is as good as fresh from the farm! To avoid running from one store to another, head to this one-stop shop that offers everything from seafood and meat to vegetables and fruit.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
8) Decorate your home
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Simply decorating your home can brighten your mood and get you and your family in the spirit of celebrating! The more common way to decorate is with traditional red calligraphy paintings for an auspicious touch. If you want a more subtle and stylish way of decorating, go for flowers!
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You can take your pick from a large variety of Chinese New Year decorations at Chin Giap Soon at KINEX Mall from door couplets and paper cuttings to red packets and even unique and adorable decor items like this plush kumquat tree.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Now that Chinese New Year is coming up in just 10 days, it's time to get all these in your checklist and ticked off. If you're pressed for time, head to KINEX Shopping Mall where you can find all the stores mentioned above!
This post is brought to you by KINEX.
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Text by: GirlStyle SG
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