According to an article; 8 must-have things for Chinese New Year that one can buy last minute at a shopping mall: Yee sang, alcoholic beverages, packet and canned drinks, hampers, fresh seafood, fresh veggies, mandarin oranges, Chinese New Year cookies.
- Yee sang, perhaps for Chinese originating from South East Asia only; for that was where the Cantonese dish had been modified into its present modern version. Remember it wasn't really necessary before but it would be fun to have it. Imagine a group of people huddling at a table creating such a din as they toss their yee sang!
- Alcoholic beverages; not everyone drinks but there's always a stock for those who do. In Penang recently, a politician was against a Chinese New Year alcohol promoting event in a mall and had wanted it to be held in some hidden corner there to protect the sensitivity of the Muslim community. Suppose then one has to be sensitive to where these drinks are hidden.
- Packet and canned drinks are indeed convenient. Imagine preparing some other drinks like coffee or tea for your many guests. Besides, they are suitable for Muslim guests who are wary of unclean utensils, those polluted with lard.
- Hampers are for those who want to present gifts to relatives or friends. Not really necessary since gifts can come in many forms.
- Fresh seafood and veggies are more for the reunion dinner. Days or rather weeks before the big day, seafood especially can be stocked in the refrigerator. Expect a hike in price!
- Mandarin oranges, sure; they are a must for prayers, relatives and friends too; why not? They have long been auspicious item, symbolizing abundance and happiness.
- Chinese New Year cookies; what's Chinese New Year without these to chomp on? Prefer homemade ones since those prepared commercially seem to be less yummy. Same too for nian gao bought from the mall. Wonder why the must-have list does not include this important item.
19.1.23
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