First day of the Rabbit Year

The First day of Chinese New year is usually the most busy and exciting period for me and I am guessing, most Chinese people...... This Rabbit year around, it was the same and the beauty of it after not celebrating for so long, was that nothing really changed.... from the food, to the sequence of houses we visit and the people BUT one thing did change.....everyone grew older!!! (I know.... obvious stated but I felt that it was a big difference with some of my cousins even having children....hehehe)

First time I actually experienced CNY on such a cooling day....Brand new year, clothes and car peeps!

First house of the day...grandparents from my father's side! loved the decorations.... my mom somehow blends in perfectly with her cheongsam:)

Both of us in our Chinese outfits!Decided to embrace my Chinese culture more with wearing a red cheongsam

Lovely orchids

My cousin, Andy and the newly wed couple! Congrats Kor and Joyce!!! They were standing in front of the new goldfishes my grandpa bought..hehe...

Cute Cady!!!!! My cousins four month old daughter celebrating her first Chinese New Year!! She is one smart girl, she even knows how to hold ang paus now.......guys watch out!!!

The adults table! Its pretty hierarchical in the Choo family! The "kids" table are make shitft tables in the living room..but hey..no complains there...we get the same food!

First day is always vegetarian with rice! healthy and delicious!

My grandfather was soooo cute...he sat there the whole time waiting for people to arrange themselves next to him for the family picture.

After about half an hour...voila! The choo Family portrait:)

My naughty father and his firecrackers... He says its tradition, hence he lights two long red ones up every year...one in my grandpa's house and one in my mother's side grandmother's house...makes you feel truly festive listening to it!yippeeeee

Chinese traditional outfits galore...all looking good!

with my beautiful popo...still looking regal and elegant after preparing a round of vegetarian food for us...this is the second house we visit and eat again!!!!

Seow Family!All very red and "ong"

Third house would be my father's uncle's house.......

My grandmother and her brother's...all of them are from China! Can you tell?!?

With two of my cousins who look similar to me(according to my aunt!)

With my 2nd cousins and their partners! It's good to see them again after so long!

Also my second cousins....but waaay younger! cutie pies!!!

Fourth house of the day.... this grand auntie is paralysed but she still has the festive spirit!! wearing her Chinese New Year clothes and insisting that we get cookies...... She's also from China and is still very very healthy at the ripe old age of 88!!

The final destination of the whole day would be my father's friends house which we have been going since we were kids...literally!!!! A picture with Alexis and Amanda...I would say...we definitely grew up together.....

To me, this was a truly memorable CNY...why?!? Because alot of things have happened in recent years and one of it would be my grandfather's health! I am glad he was able to celebrate this Chinese New year with us........and I hope many more to come..... It strikes deep within me when I think about how as we were kids, we would complain and not appreciate it when we have to wake up early to go to our grandparents house on the first day and all the "tiring" visits to our relatives house....BUT now, I enjoy every moment of it......... I guess you can call it maturity or just realizing many things after travelling overseas but I don't complain anymore and even look forward to these visits(Bai nian)! I am even learning more about all the Chinese traditions that needs to be incorporated during Chinese New Year! Appreciating and not taking things and people for granted, especally my family, is definitely something I have learned over the years....

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!!!

xoxo

Meiz