Feb 04 2008
Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner
For this year, Chinese New Year is on Feb 7 which will signal the entrance of the Year of the Rat. On the eve, it is a tradition for family members from near and far to gather for the Chinese New Year reunion dinner at the home of the parents or grandparents. In fact, for many Chinese this is a very important event as it signifies strong family ties. When it comes to typical food eaten during a Chinese New Year reunion dinner, this is where it gets interesting:
- Fish - A must because it sounds like “surplus” in Chinese. There is also this Chinese saying, “May there be surpluses every year.” That is why fish is a must item on the menu.
- Prawn - This seafood sounds like “laugh” in Chinese. So, it symbolizes happiness for the coming year.
- Dried oyster - The pronounciation of oyster in Chinese is similar to “good things”. May the year be filled with good things happening.
- Vegetables - This is normally a vegetarian dish topped with “fatt choy” which are black hair-like moss. In the Cantonese dialect, this food item sounds like “prosperity” and is commonly served.
- Noodles - They have to be uncut to signify longevity.
- Nian gao - This is actually a brownish steam cake made with rice flour and topped with red dates. Nian means year while gao means cake but gao also sounds like “high” in Chinese. So, this represents a “high” year ahead.
I find that the Chinese always like all things symbolic with good meaning. Whatever it is, priority for the reunion dinner on the eve and the celebration on the first day of the new year is typically given to the husband’s family. So, for those families with married daughters, the reunion dinner is normally held a few days earlier. The Chinese may be very westernised in outlook now but this practice is still largely followed. So, in a way, I guess the Chinese society is still very male-centered.
Lastly, let me take this opportunity to wish all my readers “Gong Xi Fa Cai”. Gong Xi meaning “to wish”, Fa Cai meaning “be prosperous”. This is actually a more popular greeting than “Xin Nian Kwai Ler” which means Happy New Year. Aahh… that’s the Chinese for you. We are a very money-minded breed indeed. 
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Good description here. Have been saying all these words but without thinking deeper what their meaning behind!
Anyway, let’s link each other here.
http://www.mummyinvain.com/?p=413
Jacelyn’s last blog post..A Better Way To Taste Spaghetti
interesting!
Kong Hei Fatt Choy to you tooo. But it must be very busy in HK now.. all the auspiscous stuff on sale too.
Me, missing home. but have a small dinner with jsut my family of 4 plus my helper.
constance’s last blog post..Golden Pumpkin and Gourd
for the Baba Nyonya, we have our own typical Nyonya food and we wont be seeing fish for a few days!
Selamat Tahun Baru Cina!
miche’s last blog post..Nyonya Pineapple Tarts
Gong Xi Fa Cai! =)
Kong Hee Fatt Choy to you and your family. Wishing you lots of Happiness, Good Health and Good Fortune in the Year of The Rat.
Mommy to Chumsy’s last blog post..Ms. Vainpot
Happy Chinese New Year to you and your family too!
Martini’s last blog post..A Lovely Present for Me & My Kids
You have a great CNY, you and your family! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Wan Shi Ru Yi!
Things are quiet on our end, and we’re meeting up with friends only later on, and in the meanwhile, I definitely won’t be cooking so much for our own simple reunion dinner. Aw, I miss a heartier meal back home, and with loved ones!
bp’s last blog post..Snow kidding
Interesting post.. and “Gong Xi Fa Cai” to you too!
tanya25m’s last blog post..Viva Carnival!
happy Chinese new year!
Wow - that is all so interesting.
Thanks for sharing.
In honour of my 100th post, I am asking blog friends to leave a question in their comment and I will answer 100 questions for my 100th post….hope you can join in the fun
Laura’s last blog post..75+23+today+=99
That was a really interesting post! Thanks for telling us about what you eat and why.
Interesting post!Till now I am still don’t know some of the meaning.
sweetiepie’s last blog post..Bread Aroma From the Oven
Happy chinese new year to you Audrey, and you family.
JO-N’s last blog post..Happy Chinese New Year
i was at the market today and the vegetable stall’s assistant (an indonesian) offered me bittergourd and brinjal. choi! choi! choi! the chinese lady stall owner scolded him, hahaha!
)
anyway, i wish you Fatt! Fatt! Fatt! (true-la, we chinese very money minded
pek imm’s last blog post..It’s So Hard Growing Up
here’s wishing you and your family a very Happy Chinese New Year
sting’s last blog post..Happy Chinese New Year!
Koong Hei Fatt Choy to you & your family. Wishing you all everything ’soon soon lei lei’ and everyone ’sun thai kin hong’.
shireen’s last blog post..She’s Still Good At Something
wishing you and your family a prosperous new year!
wen’s last blog post..Sick, I Hate
Wishing you a happy and prosperous new year. Gong Xi Fatt Chai
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Tot’s mom, I just linked to this interesting post of yours. Gong Xi Fa Cai to you and your family!!!
bp’s last blog post..Happy New Year! Pull your ear?!
Kung Hei Fatt Choy! It’s true… our society is still male-centred, no matter how modern we claim to be. Wah.. din realise all those food has their special meaning. I just wallop them oni.
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my new year wish is to hope my dad’s health will be better,my family will happy always n healthy always..then,i hope i can find my lover soon..the one who can always understand me in different ways..
HI happy chinese new year people