Wishing all readers a Happy Lunar New Year!!

To all my readers, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Chinese readers and followers a Happy  Lunar New Year and for the rest, Happy Holidays.

A cute decoration which I saw on my sis’s place; a group of kids playing with fire crackers.

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I will be posting more when I am back from more eating and visiting relatives and friends.

Kong Xi Fa Chai!!!!!!!! Huat ah!!!! ( translated….Happy Chinese New Year!!! Prosperous come come….!!!!) =)

Malaysia – The Chinese New Year’s Red Envelope or packet called Ang Pow…..

Chinese New Year celebration is just a day away. Today is the eve’s of Chinese New Year and all (nearly) are busy getting ready for tonight’s reunion dinner. Some have already started theirs prayers before the afternoon. Most of the Chinese shops or restaurants (especially those run by Chinese or Chinese families) will be close today or if even open, they will only open till noon time.

Today, I will just share with you some thing about the Chinese New Year’s Red Envelope or red packet which they called Ang Pow (which is Hokkien) or Hong Pow (in mandarin). In Asian societies, this red packet signifies a monetary gift especially in festive seasons like Chinese New Year and other special occasion such as a Chinese wedding.The red colour of the envelope symbolizes good luck and is supposed to ward off evil spirits.

Below are some of the red packets that I have collected over the past years.

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All sorts of red packets…… which banks, shops that will give out to their customers where they will put their logo on it.

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These are the ones from the year of the dragon. Guess these are useful for the Year of the Dragon. Have to wait for next cycle to come; 10 years. =P

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These ones are from the beauty center which they give out to their customers.

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… and this years one; Year of the Horse with picture of the horse or ‘ma’ in mandarin on the red packets.

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Anyway, will be getting busy soon…. stay tune for the Chinese New Year celebration!!!!

Malaysia – A Red Chinese New Year (4)

Guess you wanted more… and that’s why you are back. =)  Thanks for coming back here.

This is a cut out from a paper cutting of red paper. Can you see what is the picture they have cut out?

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Open windows…..

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… and old vintage Chinese bicycle. (this is something hard to find in Malaysia)

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another showcase…. other part of old Chinese ‘mock up’ house

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‘sunning’ the food under the ‘sun’

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During that time when I was there, the mall also had arrange a lion dance performance to entertain the shoppers. You can see than the ‘lion’ was trying to cross a stream. Very interesting performance.

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Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Want more? Well.. keep following and you will find out. =)

Malaysia – A Red Chinese New Year (3)

Hi there!! You thought that that was the last on the Red Chinese New Year? Well you are wrong. =P

Below pictures are taken in another shopping mall in Penang, Malaysia. Their theme is different from my earlier one.

A big treasure box filled with ‘gold’ and jewels…..

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and protected by a dragon!!!

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This mall theme was more like a old china house with a horse shed…..

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Why you ask a horse shed? Well the coming Chinese New Year, the chinese zodiac is horse.

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Outside the mall…  cute 12 Chinese zodiac animals. Seen your Chinese zodiac around?

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Another view …..

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A close up shot of the old Chinese house. You can even see the giant joystick and also the Chinese household shrine.

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Want more pictures? Stay tune……. =)

Malaysia – A Red Chinese New Year (2)

Hi there!! More red here. Still at the shopping mall and walking around. Lots of different decoration to see and also very tempting to make the shoppers buy (lots of) stuff.

Red and pink flowers (fake)…..

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Chinese decoration for the shoppers to hang in their house.

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more deco’s…..

 

 

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This year is the year of the horse… so lots of cute stuff horse toys.

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Kids will just love it… and adults too!!! Lol!!

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More flowers to choose from.

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This stall sells all the all the oriental decorations… something different from others.

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….mmmm something to think to have in your home.

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Stay tune. More pictures of the preparation for the Chinese New Year celebration from other places around Malaysia. =)

Malaysia – A Red Chinese New Year (1)

Another festive is round the corner after Christmas. This time is a another over at the eastern part of the world….  a big celebration for the Chinese folks all around the world.

In Malaysia is also the same and is a big one too. Another 2 weeks more to go and everyone is busy doing last minute shopping. Shops all decorated in red and playing Chinese New Year songs.

As usual, every year, there will be lots of cookies to choose and eat from. Sometimes there are even kind of cookies that you never the year before. 😊

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Not forgetting hampers as gifts to families and friends.

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Boxes and boxes of mandarin oranges to pick from; small to large sizes of mandarin oranges.

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This year, this shopping mall decoration is red and Chinese bamboo plant. Red in colour…..

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A view from the top.

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Another area of the mall where they had a big ‘Chinese bamboo plant’ gondola like deco

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Eye view shot…..

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Stay tune. More picture to come. =)