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Singapore Chinese New Year 2009

This Christmas, my Dear and I took a stroll leisurely in the city and we ended up in Chinatown.
We were surprised to be greeted by new years stalls out in full force, selling goodies and trinklets. In fact, the Chinese New Year action at Chinatown began a week ago!
With the first two days of Chinese New Year falling on 26 and 27 early next January and the economic recession continuing to beset many Singaporeans, the Chinese New Year stalls were out even earlier this year to maximise their revenue window.
However, it was reported that there was a 20% drop in the number of these make-shift stalls in Chinatown, with a corresponding reduction in the number of Chinese New Year goodies and items sold.
This year, these Chinese New Year stall owners will be hit by the economic recession as Singaporeans exercise recession prudence and minimise their Chinese New Year expenses.
Expect a smaller Ang Pao this year too for those still eligible to get !
Some people, expecting a smaller Ang Pao from each of their relatives may want to visit more relatives as friends to earn more Chinese New Year 'revenue'.
For others, they may just want to take a break during the Chinese New Year break and go to nearby places for a short holiday, obviating the need to give ang baos, seeing relatives again for that one time yearly to be asked the same old questions again 'When you getting married', 'When you going to have baby', 'How is your child's results?', 'How is job' .... the usual continuum of questions.
With economic recession recession rearing its ugly head, recession will likely be the most talked-about topic between relatives and friends in the coming Chinese New Year though it is taboo to talk about such topic at the beginning of a Lunar New Year.
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Comments

Josephine said…
The 600 stalls selling Chinese New Year products are starting this coming sunday.
Must post about it ya...
Tue Dec 30, 02:50:00 PM GMT+8
Anonymous said…
Somehow when one becomes an adult, the excitment of CNY simply fizzles out ! Still can remember how my mom kept urging us to get dressed for the guests coming to visit or to go visit our relatives. All we wanted was to laze around .. tins of snacks within arms-reach n watch DVD's haha !

Als I'm typing this, fireworks r coloring the dark skies outside. By law, we may only light them up at midnite on 31 december but I guess some people just can't wait to try it out. Tomorrow nite the air will be thick with sulfur when tons of firework r lighted up - always an amazing display. The cold, minus 6 degrees will keep the smog hanging for hours. I prefer to watch them from behind closed windows - much safer n warmer indoors. Besides, I never liked being kissed by every passing neighbour in our square !

Happy New Year to u n ur Dear, SSS !
Wed Dec 31, 05:00:00 AM GMT+8
Singapore Short Stories said…
Ya Thanks Josephine for your information, I will go there to watch!

Hi Dutchie,

So will the firework remnants stay on the sky for hours too due to the cold temperature?
Fri Jan 02, 05:41:00 PM GMT+8
Anonymous said…
Yes, the molecules pretty much freezed itself in the heavy mist. I read that 1 billion euros worth of fireworks went up in smoke in 1.5 hrs !! We hv a population of 16 million.

I tried to snap pix with my digicam but it was hopeless, just a bright dot n the vast dark sky. I just saw ur pix in another blog. U hv better technic than me ! How did u capture those beautiful fireworks in action ?
Sat Jan 03, 02:47:00 AM GMT+8
Singapore Short Stories said…
Hi Dutchie,

Thanks for your compliments.

Hmm you are saying you saw my firework pictures on another blog? or another blog post of this blog hehe?

If another blog, I will be concerned cos someone has taken my original photos without permisssion leh.
Sun Jan 04, 12:17:00 AM GMT+8
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