Chinese New Year came on 14th Feb 2010 and left us yesterday. It is not in a joyful tone when I say that this year was one of my most tiring CNY ever. As I grow older, CNY became less and less exciting to me. When I was younger, I would get all psyched up by the thought of CNY. It was not only because it was the school holidays and the collection of angpaws. It was also the thought of meeting up with my cousins on eve and first day of CNY, traveling for visits to relative and friends' houses, eating all those delicious cookies and home cooked food, etc. I recall playing with my cousins the whole night of CNY eve till about midnight before going home and waking up in the morning to see them again for our vegetarian breakfast. Running around all sweaty and playing with firecrackers was the highlight of the eve.
As I reached my teens, CNY was also quite exciting even though there were no more running around and playing with firecrackers. At this age, I look forward to meeting up with my cousins and friends for a good chitchat and lots of laughter. This was also the time I would get to see my brother and sister longer than I normally do and the family time I had with them were also precious.
And now I am all "grown up". A working woman means lesser holiday during CNY and hence lesser time with family and friends. A wife means I not only have my own family to think about but also obliged to think about my husbands' family. Cousins and friends have also begun their "new" lives with their husbands or wives and rarely have time to meet up anymore. This year I got to meet up with some of my cousins because my parents cancelled one of our out-of-state visits. The meet-up lasted only about an hour and they had to leave for family matters. Meeting up with friends have long been a history in my social life. New Year eve dinner is not as lively as it used to be. Vegetarian breakfast on the first day is even worse..too quiet.
CNY to me now is stressful and nothing else. How I wished that during the limited holidays I have, I can choose on what I want to do instead of needing to consider so many other factors around me. If I cannot have what I had when I was younger, then I would prefer to just stay home with my family and have a very good rest before I start with my hectic working life.
As I reached my teens, CNY was also quite exciting even though there were no more running around and playing with firecrackers. At this age, I look forward to meeting up with my cousins and friends for a good chitchat and lots of laughter. This was also the time I would get to see my brother and sister longer than I normally do and the family time I had with them were also precious.
And now I am all "grown up". A working woman means lesser holiday during CNY and hence lesser time with family and friends. A wife means I not only have my own family to think about but also obliged to think about my husbands' family. Cousins and friends have also begun their "new" lives with their husbands or wives and rarely have time to meet up anymore. This year I got to meet up with some of my cousins because my parents cancelled one of our out-of-state visits. The meet-up lasted only about an hour and they had to leave for family matters. Meeting up with friends have long been a history in my social life. New Year eve dinner is not as lively as it used to be. Vegetarian breakfast on the first day is even worse..too quiet.
CNY to me now is stressful and nothing else. How I wished that during the limited holidays I have, I can choose on what I want to do instead of needing to consider so many other factors around me. If I cannot have what I had when I was younger, then I would prefer to just stay home with my family and have a very good rest before I start with my hectic working life.
Oh...that is SOOO SAAADDD!
Tell you what, maybe in the future we go home during CNY then you can look forward to it and maybe also plan to take longer time off with us there :)
You'll have 2 little rascal to psych you up ;)....or follow you around like puppies! *LOL*
-Sis
Sis,
Your little sister now is a "married woman"..let me rephrase that...a woman married to a chinese family. It would be as if I have sold myself to AK's family..hahaha. This year I got to spend CNY at home because AK's parents was going to come down to KL to visit our new home. My guess is from next year onwards, I got to be at their place at least on the eve and the first day of CNY. That will leave me only with few days with my own family. Ko will most likely be back to work already by then. Visiting friends and meeting up with cousins will be of the past already...sigh :(.
AK said that in future we ask everyone to gather in KL instead...haahaha. As if it can work out.
Well, I just have to wait for next year to find out how we are going to work things out during CNY
Oh good point on the needing to go to your in-laws place from next year onward. Maybe I should plan to take a few days leave so can at least see you. But it's not so bad anyway now especially since I go back more often, right?
Funny how I see it a little differently from you re the CNY this year: yes, it is quieter but at least see some cousins that we would never have met during the "normal" kind of CNY routine, even if it was for an hour or so.
The above comment was by me...forgot to leave my name hehe.
- Kor
CNY was never stressful for me.. when i was a kid, yeah i would look forward for new clothes and ang pao.. i used to have new cheongsam when i was kid BUT it all changed when my parents separated.. after that, cny celebration wasn't a big deal anymore.. and now since i'm not married to a chinese guy, i've less headache.. probably my headache is on christmas now.. hehe.. but still, russ not around i won't go back to pg.. hence n headache to what to buy as christmas presents.. fyi, russ's family is HUGE.. he has like 6 or 7 uncles + aunties and more than 10 cousins
Ko,
I was actually looking at the difference when we were younger...not with last year. Had so much fun when all of the cousins can make it at the same time and play and chat with each other. Past few years, not much of it.
And yes. Since you are back more often it is better. But it is still not the same for CNY and I dislike that. Basically, I hate growing up..haahaha
Nicole,
haha...ya ya. Christmas sure headache on the pressies huh? But I would love the family gathering..the chat and the laughter..that is what celebration is all about. For me, CNY now is mostly chatting with uncle and aunties because my cousins have their own lives to handle. So to me, it does not feel so much like a celebration anymore.
Negotiate la. Do alternate years. On year with your family and next one with AK's.
I'll have to make sure I go back during the years when you spend time with Ngs!
-Sis
yeah. This was suggested by many people. It will all boil down to my parents in law. Well, we will have to see what happens next year.
I was going to suggest alternating too. It is common practice here. Since AK does not mind, you really need not worry too much about what the in-laws think. Just tell them your plans, and they will learn to accept over time.
I can relate to your sentiments. As a kid I enjoyed CNY; then here, I enjoyed Christmas when Sarah was a kid (festivities are really fun with children), but now that she is all grown, I do not look forward to Christmas any more. Once you have a kid, you will enjoy CNY again. SR