You can tell it’s Lunar New Year in Singapore: the streets are dead, the shops are empty and my school is quiet. This is one of the few times of the year when people are home with their family, reminiscing on the past and hoping for the future.

But what should you do if you have no family here? Perhaps crash someone else’s party. That’s exactly what I did.

This year, I had the pleasure of ringing in the Year of the Goat with one of my closest friends on exchange, Elisa Oh, a third-year law student at Tilburg University. While Elisa was born and bred in the Netherlands, her ancestry can be traced back to Singapore, as her father left the country at the age of 18. Her grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives still reside in this area.

Experiencing my first traditional Lunar New Year meant a lot to me. Being allowed access to such a personal family gathering is nothing short of an honor. In the U.S., we almost always refer to the holiday as “Chinese New Year.” In reality, most countries throughout Asia celebrate some form of the New Year, even those with minority Chinese populations, such as Vietnam, which celebrates what is referred to as Tết.

For most Americans, celebrating the holiday means absolutely nothing. It’s not traditionally observed in the U.S., so we tend to be rather ambivalent about its existence. That is to say, you rarely — if ever — hear about Americans hosting parties for Chinese New Year. But how do you even celebrate it? I feel as though few people genuinely know the answer, which was the case for me prior to this wonderful experience.

On the eve of the New Year, a family gathers at an elder’s home — generally a grandparent — for the reunion dinner. Meeting Elisa’s family was truly the most unnerving part. I knew they would be welcoming, but was worried that they wouldn’t like me.

Elisa’s grandmother lives in Toa Payoh, one of the oldest districts right in the heart of Singapore. Her small apartment is adorned with traditional decorations and Christian objects. In the corner of her living room, she keeps a customary table of sweets for the New Year. When her family greeted us, I was immediately relieved and felt as though I had a place at the table.

Around the dining table were several boiling pots of water and bowls of fresh ingredients. In the center sat the yusheng, a dish containing shredded vegetables and strips of salmon that can only be prepared on this day. In what is known as the Prosperity Toss, families use their chopsticks to mix the dish, then proceed to throw it into the air for good fortune.

Dinner depends on the family’s tradition. Elisa’s grandmother chose to serve a yong tau foo-styled meal, where one boiled his or her own ingredients in water. Served with rice noodles, it’s quite the hearty dish. Post-dinner activities are also left for the family to decide, though most families gather to play games. Blackjack was the game of choice in this home.

The next day, I was to return for New Year’s dinner after a night of pushing and shoving people in Chinatown, watching the dazzling fireworks show from the edge of Marina Bay and exploring all the things that non-locals do.

On my way, I stopped at the florist next to my hostel to pick up some oranges. It is a tradition to bring your elders two of them, since orange sounds like the word “wealth” in Mandarin and odd numbers are deemed unlucky. Fortunately, there were two left, both given to me free of charge.

Dressed in the traditional color of red, I handed both oranges to her grandmother, bowed and said, “Xin nian kuai le,” which means “Happy New Year.” In return, she handed me a red envelope with four Singaporean dollars. After dinner, Elisa told me her grandmother granted me permission to call her “ama,” which means “grandmother.” I felt proud.

There’s more to this holiday than meets the eye. For me, this was a fantastic, unforgettable way to experience a rather overlooked festivity. I plan to bring Elisa’s traditions back home and inspire my friends and family to celebrate with me.

Zachary Gipson is a senior majoring in economics and linguistics. He is striving to fit in with the fast-paced locals of Singapore. To chat about life abroad, shoot him an email at ztgipson@syr.edu.

Published on February 24, 2015 at 12:01 am