Chinese Reunion Dinner 团圆饭 2006

Chinese Reunion Dinner 团圆饭 2006

Happy Lunar New Year 新年快乐 and Gong Xi Fa Cai 恭喜发财, everyone! Let's bid goodbye to the Year of the Rooster, and welcome the year of the Dog.

Today start the begining of the Spring Celebration for all chinese around the world. According to tradition, families gather for a special dinner on Lunar New Year's Eve. It's popularly known as "reunion dinner". It's a time-honored tradition, and Chinese families place a lot of importance on this dinner. People will try to get home in time to have dinner with the whole family. That's why many Chinese owned stores and companies close for business early on Lunar New Year's eve for this once-a-year event. They will remain closed on the first and second days of Lunar New Year, some may even remain close for longer period.

In Singapore, the Chinese make up the majority of the population, so many businesses are closed during this period too. Traditionally, reunion dinner is held at home, but there are some families who opt for the easy way out and have their dinner at restaurants. This way, they can forego the hassle of shopping for and preparing the food, and cleaning up afterwards. Actually, it's no joke if one has to prepare this big feast for a huge family. It's customary to have lots of dishes to symbolise abundance, so imagine how much time and work has to go into preparing the food!

Chinese Customs and Belief:

In the old days there is this saying stays up all night on lunar new year's eve 除夕守岁 without sleep is to greet the arrival of Chinese Lunar New Year.

There are two kind of meanings on stays up all night on Chinese lunar New Year's eve 除夕守岁:
1. The senior stayed up all night on new year's eve 除夕守岁 is "to refined and treasure all the good moments that happen last year".

2. As for the young people to stay up all night on new year's eve 除夕守岁, their goal lies in lengthening their parents life.



Abalone Yu Sheng 鲍鱼生, or Abalone salad first dish in Chinese Reunion Dinner 团圆饭 menu.