How time flies. It’s the start of a brand new year again – the year of the ox according to the Chinese zodiac calendar.

The Lunar New Year holds special significence as it symbolises the start of the spring festival. After the cold winter comes the cheery spring which heralds the dawn of a new beginning.

Spring is always welcomed as flowers bloom in abundance and bright colours are everywhere. This has a mood uplifting effect somehow.

Reds on the pomegranate tree

More importantly, spring is welcomed as it’s an opportunity for us to forget the troubles of the past and reenergise ourselves for the future.
As forward looking people, we hold our own destinations in our hands. There’s no use crying over spilled milk and beating ourselves up just because the rat year was a lousy one. Cheer up…it’s already goodbye rat and hello ox!

Snuff bag decorations ready to be hung

For me, the Lunar New Year is perhaps the best time to catch up with relatives and friends, some of whom I see only once a year. It’s sad but true. Everyone is busy with their own lives and doing their own stuff. It’s hard to coordinate such large scale gatherings of the entire clan unless there’s a celebration of sorts such as the birthday bash of a patriarch/matriarch, wedding, birth of a newborn or house-warming.

Moreover, with the advancement in technology, the face to face interaction bit gets replaced by other platforms such as email, MSN and Facebook.

The Lunar New Year certainly means more to me than prancing around in new clothes, wearing a red underwear (for luck, what else?!) and collecting ang pows from relatives and friends as I’m still entitled.

My ang pows collected on the 1st day of the Lunar New Year

There are perennial topics that are evergreen. The first one pertains to relationships. If you are single, you will be quizzed when you intend to settle down. If you are married but with no kids, you will be asked to operate the factory harder. One well-meaning relative had this advice for my married cousin and cousin-in-law.

“Hope to see a new addition next year hor…” before she whispered to the male cousin to consume more ginseng. So ginseng is to strengthen the you-know-what part of the male anatomy? I thought it was viagra or tongkat ali to boost the male stamina? This is an interesting discovery. Perhaps this well-meaning relative had been loading her son with tonnes of ginseng as he successfully became a father shortly after marriage.

The second topic most often spoken about in softer, hushed tones is one’s body shape. It seems that being fat is a self confessed sin as far as most conversations go.

There are many who expressed their disappointment and resignation to their bulging beer bellies and love handles. Well, you can’t have your cake and eat it, you know. The worst kept secret is that diet plays the most important role in keeping your waist trim and slim. 

Yes, you can run, blade, cycle or ski till your quads, hamstrings and glutes go on fire…but if you binge thereafter, kiss your cardio exercise goodbye as it’s a wasted one.

For this, I was bombarded with many questions. Many were interested in my new profession and business, which I gladly shared. Suddenly, I was the guru in many people’s lives, the instant flavour of the moment…when barely a year ago, I was still a disgruntled civil servant slogging my ass off. If only I could get them all to sign up for my training packages and become customers, then I will be hearing the cash register ring non-stop. But the truth has to be said that it’s a tough job training or teaching your own relative as the line between kinship and professionalism is that thin. I don’t want to jeopardise the kinship.

One relative even asked me if I was responsible for keeping Mum fit and trim. Mum does her own exercises. Must keep her credit for this. On my part, I just ensure she makes healthier food choices and there are no tidbits in our house.

The third topic is of course related to the festive goodies or munchies as some will term it. The pineapple tarts, love letters, kueh ban kek, almond cookies, suji etc. For me, I love to eat too but I sample. Food never fails to connect people. This restaurant is good, that place is only so so…etc etc. Very often, the festive goodies is a good ice breaker before people broach the more sensitive topics. But of course, there are some direct relatives and friends who just go straight for the kill.

The fourth topic, again, is related to health. Do we have anyone who has been promoted to the ranks of the Hunchbacks of Notre Dame? Perhaps a particular grandauntie? Who looks in the pink of health? Who has difficulty walking?

I had two minor topics this year. Interesting…

One asked me if she could come visit my istana. I didn’t know I was the new President of Singapore. Since when was my status elevated without my knowledge? She meant my humble abode. Oh well, you are welcome anytime.

Another queried if I charged a fee for visitors to my toy museum. Well, I haven’t employed a curator yet so maybe that’s an idea I’ll keep in mind for the time being. You are welcome to apply, if you want to though.

Happy Lunar New Year to everyone! We are going to moo the year ahead

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