Chinese New Year

As a chinese, Chinese New Year has been a huge thing for us.

Every year, During CNY eve, nin sam sap, we will always go to grandparents house. 

( Pictures below are taken screen shots from video. Wanted to upload the video but the file was too big) 

It was our chance to dress up, well as a kid that goes to a government school with uniforms you have to follow, How much new clothes do you wear and how often do you dress up?

Asides from going to grandparents house, Uncle D from penang and Uncle B from KL will always come down to Ipoh. 

We will have our first dinner during CNY eve.

and Of cz, after dinner there's always fireworks session. 

and who doesn't love fireworks?

(picture below, Uncle Brian lighting up a firework for us )

On the FIRST day of CNY, we always go to the father's side of the family. 

If you are a married woman, you have to follow your husband to his side of the family. 

Hence, all the relatives and cousins, aunties and uncles meet. 

My dad's side of the family is HUGGEEEEEE. 

My dad has 7 siblings including himself. 

It's so huge and complicated that when i'm my generation, it's even more complicated and hence, 

it's gonna be even more complicated for the generation below me. 

But i guess that would be like LONG LONG LONG LONG lost second related cousin or wtv it is. LOL. 

I have a niece who is 2 years younger than me. 

How is she my niece?

She is my Dad's Older brother's daugthers' daughter. 

So, her mom is my cousin, so that makes her my niece. Complicated isn't it? 

and it goes on and on and on. 

Back then, we use to go to my grandfather (dad's side) 's shoe shop. 

He owns this shoe shop and has been living in the shoe shop for the entire of his life. almost a century there. 

So, we definately go there everyyear.

I remember the dark smelling toilet with no light and doors that will not close properly. 

The narrow steep wooden stairs that you can hear the creaks of the wood everystep taken, 

The aunties and the mom trying to go up the stairs carefully without dirtying their new shirt or handbag. 

We kids running up and down the stairs trying to walk up and down without holding the handle. 

i remember looking up at it thinking ''Do i really have to go up??' but i always had my sister there for me. 

I remember playing hide and seek and i HATED hiding in the store room. 

it is like the scariest thing ever!!. 

i always imagine some girl in white standing next to me or wtv it is. LOL. 

too much horror movie from my sister. 

I remember lunch time, we had 3 generation, hence, we had 3 tables. and my grandmother will split the dishes into three portion. 

and Every year, the dish would be the same. 

But every year, we NEVER get sick of them. 

Then it would be mahjong and poker time. 

I remember the plastic weird floor that has bubbles and airs coming out. 

The hot humid air that makes us sweat. 

and the waiting till LONG AFTERNOON for the parents/adults to finish chit-chatting. 

But things were different after grandma was gone. and now, grandpa isn't gone. i doubt dad's side of the family will be any longer as close as how it use to be. 

Mom's side is way smaller, she only has 4 siblings including herself. 

and her two younger brother is not married. hence? no kids. 

So i only have two really cool cousins who was born and raised in the States. LOL. 

i was always the stupid one, the shy one, the annoying one, and alot more. 

but grandma loved me. i miss her. =(

(picture below, we wishing our grandparents gong xi fachai! that's grandma!! spot me!! =DD )

we usual visit our mom's side on the second day. 

So husbands go to the wife's family on that day. 

Fair and square right?

And on the third day onwards, 

you visit friends, far distance relatives and so on. 

AND YOU STILL GET ANGPOU. for 15 days. 

=DDDDD

CNY Day 2 fireworks at grandma's house. 

Fireworks use to be legal back then. 

and grandpa will ALWAYS buy them. 

LIke ALWAYSSSSS. every year. 

loads of them. 

Just now, i was outside casson's grandma's house waiting for his uncle. 

and saw the neighbor and his kids playing fireworks, 

and tears just rolled down,

because it made me miss how i've always felt so left out during gathering and reunions, 

and that was the only thing i was looking forward to. 

And then i rmb those colorful sparkling sticks, grandma will always buy them. 

and i just felt that things wasn't the same anymore. 

This year, CNY is pretty down. 

Mom's side dinner is tmr night, 

and Dad's side dinner is on DAY 2. 

asides from that?

nothing else. 

i miss eating all the tit bits with cousins and relatives. 

and the Chinese New Years red decorations

and of cz, the lion dance. 

But i guess, we do grow up. 2 decades of my life has passed. 

and i guess it's time to get a job and stop being in childhood memory. 

Happy chinese new year