Anticipating the Year of the Tiger

I love Kuala Lumpur for the variety of food it offers, never mind the traffic jams. A food lover will always go to where the good food is, traffic jam or otherwise.

The little roadside stalls also have their attractions, now that the Chinese New Year is a few weeks away. All the must-haves are now on sale, ranging from assorted cookies to waxed duck, sausages, etc. Chinatown is glowing red with all the house decorations on which are printed auspicious words to usher in a prosperous new year.


Flowers, fresh or artificial are a must, especially the peonies, peach blossoms and pussy willows.


The streets are also decorated with red lanterns and the pavement outside the Pavilion in Kuala Lumpur has its “peach blossom trees”.


Outside the main entrance is the lovely crystal fountain against the backdrop of long strings of red lanterns.


Most of the clothing for kiddies as well as for adults are red too!! Red is an auspicious color for the Chinese so come the New Year, you will find many people donned in red. I’ve bought a couple of outfits in red too! In my grandmother’s time, no one ever sees or hears of a grandma dressed in red! Greys and blues were their colours. I’ve also bought the traditional red Chinese apparel for my granddaughter. She loves those.

However photos of these clothes will only be taken when they are worn during the Chinese New Year.

If you come from a Chinese ethnic background, you will be busy preparing to usher in the New Year which falls on February 14 and coincides with Valentine’s Day. So have you got your new clothes yet? Have you got the red packets to be given out as “ang pows” on the 1st day of the New Year? Crisp new bank notes?
These are to be inserted into the red packets and the amount varies according to your pockets! If you have very deep pockets, you can be generous and give a large sum of money. The children will love you for it!


So are you looking forward to the Chinese New Year? We will be welcoming in the Year of the Tiger and everyone is hoping it will come in with a big roar, bringing with it prosperity, peace and goodwill. I read somewhere that a Tiger Dance will be making its debut this year, instead of the usual lion dance. I hope to witness this!