Our terms and agreements
This blog is in the hands of our members a.k.a.
- Jun Hao
- Jia Hui
- Md Faris
- Md Fathullah
- Clive
NO COPYRIGHT IS ALLOWED
THIS IS MEANT ONLY FOR OUR LIT PROJECT
- Jun Hao
- Jia Hui
- Md Faris
- Md Fathullah
- Clive
NO COPYRIGHT IS ALLOWED
THIS IS MEANT ONLY FOR OUR LIT PROJECT
Jun Hao's commitment...
(a) My Chinese New Year
My Chinese New Year was fun, exiting and interesting. Why?? It is because that it was different as we got a 4 day break and I was with my family most of the time. Of course foods were one of the "highlights" as some of the food might be only eaten during the Chinese New Year. On the first day I went to my grandma house and I met my cousins and we played together. I received lots of "hongbao" that day. My family decided to catch a movie "CJ7" and I find it funny and sad. The next day and the following day we continued our visiting and get more "hongbao". I think that we should save our money for our future and not spending unwisely. During this special festival I think that it can let our family’s relationship become better and better. Overall, I think that it is a festival that every Chinese should celebrate but because of the laws in Singapore the types of celebration is very limited.
My Chinese New Year was fun, exiting and interesting. Why?? It is because that it was different as we got a 4 day break and I was with my family most of the time. Of course foods were one of the "highlights" as some of the food might be only eaten during the Chinese New Year. On the first day I went to my grandma house and I met my cousins and we played together. I received lots of "hongbao" that day. My family decided to catch a movie "CJ7" and I find it funny and sad. The next day and the following day we continued our visiting and get more "hongbao". I think that we should save our money for our future and not spending unwisely. During this special festival I think that it can let our family’s relationship become better and better. Overall, I think that it is a festival that every Chinese should celebrate but because of the laws in Singapore the types of celebration is very limited.
Md Fathullah's commitment
(a)During my Hari Raya, i celebrate with my family along with my friends and relatives. I llike this celebration as i can have a closer bond with my family and relatives, and it keeps my friends close and know more about each other. I can also gain enough money to buy myself things that I want because, on that day, the people who doesnt work can get money from those already working. i can also play some traditional games with my relatives and friends which sometimes can be very very fun. Everytime we go with my father's side family, we always go to Benut, which is in Malaysia. It as quite a long journey there but it was worth it as we can play with crackers and fireworks there as it is legal. The best part of it was the loud bangs, sparks and the colours it gave out. we can also see destruction to the surrounding areas, one time, i was burn because it was fired directly towards me. but it was an enjoyable time of our lives. When it is time to get back to Singapore, it was fast as i was asleep the whole journey back. When we got back from Malaysia, we went back to sleep awaiting what would happen the next day. I cant wait for the next Hari Raya!!!
(b)During Easter, Jess went to the church to listen to the lecturer. While me and my dad went to pray at Kampung Siglap Mosque early in the morning. His family has some financial promblems to buy new clothings for themselves, while my family has diiferent cloths to choose from on Hari Raya Aidilfitri. During Easter, Jess received presents while i receive some green packets ( envelopes filled with $$$ ). Jess doenst goes out with his family as they were busy opening presents while i go out with my family and friends to visit my relatives and some more friends.
(b)During Easter, Jess went to the church to listen to the lecturer. While me and my dad went to pray at Kampung Siglap Mosque early in the morning. His family has some financial promblems to buy new clothings for themselves, while my family has diiferent cloths to choose from on Hari Raya Aidilfitri. During Easter, Jess received presents while i receive some green packets ( envelopes filled with $$$ ). Jess doenst goes out with his family as they were busy opening presents while i go out with my family and friends to visit my relatives and some more friends.
Jia Hui's commitment
(a) Last Christmas was one of my best Christmas, I went to Orchard hotel to have my lunch. It costs 88$ per person! It had a variety of food. From seafood to poultry. As I love seafood, I could choose many different kinds of seafood. One of the best seafood there is the drunken prawns. We ate of about an hour. This Christmas is like all the other Christmas…. I receive clothes for my presents. This is like the 5th time. Although I always receive clothes for Christmas. It is still fun to play with my cousins. Although they are irritating at times, they are still bearable… To me Christmas is a fun festival because I get to meet my aunties and uncles from Malaysia. Sign... this Christmas there will be very little people because many of my cousins are going overseas to study. Christmas is also a time for family bonding. It is one of the festivals that most family celebrates together. It is best if there is time to get together as now there is many kinds of disease, cancer and Bird Flu… who knows when u will die so it is best to have many happy memories while you are still alive. My 3rd maternal aunty immigrated to Australia for her daughter to get better studies. All my paternal aunties and uncles live in Singapore while most of my maternal aunties and uncles live overseas. I also have a younger sister who is primary 6 this year and a older brother who is also in this school. My brother still "controls" the computer during Christmas… hmm seems like I can never use it to play games while he is around.
Clive's commitment
During the last three minths of the year, my family and I were enjoying the end of year holiday, at least my brother and I were. I usually played video games throughout the holiday. During the two day period of the holiday, my mother took away both the controllers saying that we should spend some quality time together as a family. And so we did. We played Monopoly together for the first time as a family. We had thrills, spills and laughter. Upon reaching home, we set up our Christmas tree and watched some Korean drama series programmes before going to bed. On Christmas day itself, our family and our aunt's went out to eat at a famous restaraunt. At the end of the day, all of us sat in our living room and watched Harry Potter and the Socerror's Stone. And that was what I did during my Christmas.
Qn C
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.
The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.
The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.
The presence of the ancestors is acknowledged on New Year's Eve with a dinner arranged for them at the family banquet table. The spirits of the ancestors, together with the living, celebrate the onset of the New Year as one great community. The communal feast called "surrounding the stove" or weilu. It symbolizes family unity and honors the past and present generations.
Traditional Food
Lotus seed - signify having many male offspring
* Ginkgo nut - represents silver ingots
* Black moss seaweed - is a homonym for exceeding in wealth
* Dried bean curd is another homonym for fulfillment of wealth and happiness
* Bamboo shoots - is a term which sounds like "wishing that everything would be well"
* Fresh bean curd or tofu is not included as it is white and unlucky for New Year as the color signifies death and misfortune.
*Other foods include a whole fish, to represent togetherness and abundance, *chicken for prosperity. The chicken must be presented with a head, tail and feet to symbolize completeness.
*Noodles should be uncut, as they represent long life.
Taboos and Superstitions of Chinese New Year
House Cleaning
The entire house should be cleaned before New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, all brooms, brushes, dusters, dust pans and other cleaning equipment are put away.
Bringing In the New Year and
Expelling the Old
Shooting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is the Chinese way of sending out the old year and welcoming in the New Year.
Personal Appearance and Cleanliness
On New Year's Day, we are not suppose to wash our hair because it would mean we would have washed away good luck for the New Year.
New Year Activities Set Precendent
All debts had to paid by this time. Nothing should be lent On this day, as anyone who does so will be lending all the year.
HARI RAYA PUASA
Hari Raya Puasa is a very important occasion that is celebrated by Muslims all over the world. It is also known as the festival that marks the end of one month of fasting. The words ‘Hari Raya’ mean 'day of celebration.' Many mistake Hari Raya Puasa for the Muslim New Year but it is not.
Ramadan
What is Ramadan? Ramadan is the name of the one-month fasting period when Muslims fast for a period of almost 12 hours. They fast from dawn till sunset. It is a known fact that during the period of fasting, apart from eating and drinking Muslims are also forbidden from smoking and having sexual relations. Only the sick are excused from fasting during this month. Muslims are expected to avoid lying, breaking promise or cheating during the month of Ramadan. The primary purpose of fasting during Ramadan is to remind all Muslims of self-control and submitting to Allah, the holy one. Even young kids are taught to fast when they are young.
Preparations
In a country like Singapore where there are a number of Muslims, Hari Raya preparations can be seen at least one month before the festival. Geylang Serai, the place that is known for the Muslims to gather, is always filled with large crowds during Ramadan. Bazaars would be set up and they would be selling numerous festive items for Muslims. Carpets, clothes, bags, food, music CDs, household items and VCDs would also be sold at Geylang. At night the place is lit up with glittering lights. There would also be a wide variety of food which would be sold at the fairs and they include kuehs, otah-otah, cakes, buns, breads, curry, noodles and even curry puffs. Most of the Muslims shop here to get the food to bring home to eat when they are breaking the fast. The time when the Muslims break the fast is usually around 7:15pm.
Celebrations
Celebration for Hari Raya Puasa starts at least a month ahead, during the fasting period of Ramadan. Women start to sew beautiful curtains and buy new clothes for the family. Some families also do renovation for the house so that the house would look better when the guests visit it during the festival. After fulfilling their one-month of fasting, the Muslims would be joyful to celebrate Hari Raya Puasa. On the morning of the festival, the Muslims would wear their new clothes and go to the mosque to pray. They offer their thanks to God and after that they would ask for forgiveness from their elders. This is an important custom followed by the Muslims.
They feel that the young ones asking forgiveness from their elders is very essential. On the day, they also visit their relatives and friends to celebrate the happy occasion. If you visit Muslims' homes on Hari Raya Puasa you can expect to taste a wide variety of delicious spicy dishes. Some favorite dishes that can be found in Muslims homes on this special occasion are ketupat, lontong, nasi padang and beef rendang. The Muslims also have the habit of giving packets of money to kids when they go visiting. The packets are usually be in green color and children often look forward to getting these money tokens on Hari Raya Puasa. Overall, Hari Raya Puasa is a delightful festival for the Muslims.
