WARNING: LOTS OF PHOTOS
Gong Hei Fatt Choy everyone!
I’m back in drabby ol’ KL after the terribly short Chinese New Year holidays. Took a small amount of class skipping to stretch it from the measly 2 days to almost a week! Aside from the angpows and the food, CNY is my favourite time of the year because of…. family gatherings! Yes, when it comes to family, I can be a total collectivist. I enjoy huge family gatherings with noisy kids, boisterous uncles (and an aunt or two), heaps of food and a blaring tv or karaoke system. It’s really the way it is with my maternal side of the family.
First days were spent according to tradition with the first visit-y place being my dad’s sisters’ place (not grandma’s anymore since she passed away) followed by dad’s eldest sister’s place, my grandaunt’s place (mum’s side, granduncle’s wife, followed by my dad’s close friends’ place (where he apparently spent most of his childhood and schooling days at). Then we head home and chill the night away. This year I added a twist by joining Emmanuel in Gurney for some cocktails (yum – alcohol!) after dinner before heading home to snooze the night away.
Day 2 was also typical, visit my PorPor’s (grandma’s) place! PorPor here means mum’s mum. Day 2 (aka chor yee, cheh jee) is my most favourite day of Chinese New Year yo!
How can I not?
1. Lots of family members = noise + chaos
CousinFei & TinTin.
CousinWen & TinTin
TinTin The Adorable
Cousins Nikki & Fei!
MonkeyCousinRyan
The kids on the swing – (L-R) Ryan, Nikki, Fei, TinTin
Looking at them, I can’t help but think of the fact that 10 years ago, I was in the exact same position on the second day of Chinese New Year in my PorPor’s house on that same swing that my KongKong always coats with a fresh layer of paint once the old one wears out. Now that KongKong’s not around anymore, that swing is still there, in the same silver coat of paint he last painted it in. 10 years ago, I sat on that swing playing the same games with Nico, Chris, Chern, Hoong, my brother and on some years, Alexis and Rachel. When I watched them, I felt so very old…
And then another little monkey showed up
Little Jie Shern. Seems like only yesterday that he had two teeth and wanted to be picked up and carried everywhere!
Of course, there are the ones who’ve grown up like…
Cousin Yen Chern who’s a big boy now – this picture doesn’t do the justice to his good looks
Or my favourite cousin Yen “TuaPui/Fatty” Hoong who spent a lot of his childhood at my place raiding the fridge.
And even my brother who’s a big boy now even though he doesn’t act like one
The Boys
Not forgetting the relatives from the older generation
My HowMoonKuPor -KongKong’s second sister (he’s got 8 of ‘em, 3 of them half sisters!)
HowMoonKuPor is here with my HowChanKuPor, the youngest of my grandpa’s 5 sisters. I swear the sisters look more and more alike as they age!
My beloved PorPor who looked so tired from all the preparations!
My uncle EngHee whose moustache (and now hair) gets whiter and whiter every time I see him
His eldest brother my uncle EngIt who came all the way from London to celebrate the Lunar New Year with us!
Uncle Patrick who decided to do a JieShern immitation O_o
My relatives gathering outside of the house in line to wait for some yummy CharKoayTeow!
(L-R) UncleEngIt’s friend, UncleEngIt, Dad, MeiAieEeEe
(L-R) Uncle Andrew, Uncle EngSim+AuntieJude
2. Fantastico Food!
(L-R) Uncle Lenny, EeEeMeiLee, Uncle Andrew taking their turn to dig into the feast!
3. And, of course, the sinful once-a-year blackjack session?
One thing for sure – CNY is always bloody hot!
Year after year, I melt in the sweltering heat that Chinese New Year brings and this year, it’s not much of a difference, heat-wise. What I miss most about Chinese New Year this year?
Nico, Christiaan, SinKuPor and UncleFrits. Since last year they’ve gone back to Holland (since there’s no more sand for Singapore’s expansion) and I totally look forward to seeing them this July/August!!
Alexis was down last year and spending CNY with her was a blast!
That night, I had dinner with my dad’s side of the family at Forum@Island Plaza. It was a typical affair really, nothing fancy. Just my dad’s siblings and their families.
The Highlight of the night would have to be the children (my nephews and niece) or dinner would have been the usual quiet affair.
This Monkey would be Edwin.
I told him to do the gangster look and this was what he gave me…
He was our little poser monkey who loved pictures! Posed with my brother
Then me
And then them
(L-R) Addy, CousinAlvin, Edwin & AuntCPeng
His older brother and him later ran off to pose with their uncles
(L-R) Edwin, Brother, Addy, Daniel, Moses
And then, there was the little princess, Celine
Cute little doll. Her dress was beautiful! Very fragile and girly though, Not the run around and play type. But adorable nonetheless.. Not easy to warm up though..
I ended the night joining Emmanuel, Leon, Zam and TowerRecordsDaniel and their friends for a drink at SegaFredo in UPR. Hadn’t seen the lot of them in a long time and it was great to reminisce and catch up over coffee, stout and Heineken!
More pictures up next!
Hi. I'm Xinch. I'm a proud Penangite. Passionate about many things. I love to talk, ramble, and thus, I blog. 
