8 Comments
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William of Zeno's avatar

A beautiful reflection, Rachel! You really have a lot of strong memories of how your family celebrated LNY. It's really interesting how traditions get reinterpreted by everyone and by different generations.

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Rachel Ooi's avatar

Thank you! Yes, don't we all experience our own version and try to pass on an improvised one.

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Sophie S.'s avatar

Loved reading a bit more about your heritage and background, what a lovely tradition and so cool you've been able to share it with your children now too. Happy Chinese New Year.

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Rachel Ooi's avatar

Thank you ❤️ yes it was lovely to be able to share it with them!

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The Story of Your Voice's avatar

Hi Rachel, I really enjoy reading your piece. Your story reminds me of how my family celebrated Chinese New Year and how it evolved over time. It is so interesting how Hong Bao is the constant marker that never changes

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Rachel Ooi's avatar

Yes, hong bao might be the last standing custom in Chinese New Year celebration in say distant future :)

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Jennifer J. Li's avatar

Thank you for sharing a bit of your family traditions. I enjoyed living vicariously through your memories for a bit and wish I can remember more of my own childhood celebrating the Lunar New Year in Taiwan. I do remember receiving hong bao and eating a lot of food (especially my grandmother's homemade nian gao) and many family friends/relatives visiting as well as going out to visit others. However, once my family immigrated to the US, we stopped celebrating altogether, which I've always thought was a huge loss. It's interesting to read that the holiday celebrations declined even for you and your friends who stayed in the same culture.

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Rachel Ooi's avatar

I'm so glad to bring back some memories for you!

Yes, unfortunately culture and customs change throughout the years. Everyone still do celebrate, it's just in a smaller context, due to life circumstances (migration, marriage, etc).

I try to keep the culture here in Germany alive. My in-laws come and join my reunion dinner and we give hong bao to the kids. I look for Chinese friends here to start cultivate some "pai nin" of our own, though it will not be the same.

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