Nov-Dec-Jan | 2019-2020

Chinese NewYear, also known as Lunar NewYear, marks the start of spring and the beginning of the NewYear on the Chinese lunar calendar.The holiday spans 15 days, is celebrated by Chinese communities all over the world, and is arguably the most important festival to Chinese. WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT? Legends say that in ancient times, there was a beast called Nian ( 年 ) that lives at the bottom of the sea and comes up once a year to feast on animals and humans. The villagers tried their best to escape to the high mountains, but the villagers’ crops and a few victims perished year after year. One day, a chance encounter led one villager to realize that Nian was afraid of loud noises and the color red – which meant the villagers no longer have to fear Nian . Since then, Chinese NewYear (CNY) is synonymous with clashing cymbals, loud firecrackers, lots of red, and tons of yummy food. WHAT ARE THE DOS AND DON’TS? Red signifies luck and prosperity, while in the Chinese culture, white and black are reserved as colors for the mourning. Avoid wearing these two colors during the 15 days of CNY if you’re superstitious (or little-stitious, like Michael Scott). Do not use sharp objects like knives or scissors, as their sharp points are believed to cut away your fortune. Do wear lots of bright colors, say Gong Xi Fa Cai to wish everyone a prosperous new year and receive a red packet in return! Red packets are little red envelopes with money in them, given by married couples to singles and children to wish them a year of luck and good fortune.Take these dos and don’ts with a grain of salt! WHERE CAN I GOTO CELEBRATE THIS FESTIVAL? Singapore is usually bustling any time of the day, but come the first 3 days of CNY, even Orchard Road becomes a bit of a ghost town. Luckily,The Club remains open for all 3 days and we have a ton of dining options complete with curated menus by our discerning The 2nd Floor chefs to help you start the (Chinese) New Year on a sumptuous note. If you’re looking to immerse in the local culture, head to Chinatown and stroll the Garden Link Bridge to admire the annual festive street light-up from a bird’s eye view.Visit any of the open-air booths and snack on street snacks such as pineapple tarts, bak kwa (sweet pork jerky) and hae bee hiam (spicy shrimp) rolls. Don’t miss out on the fun this Chinese New Year. Join us for prosperity toss at The Club at 12:08 p.m. daily from January 25 to Feb 1, and for our annual Chinese New Year Family Fun Day on February 2.

40 THE AMERICAN CLUB SINGAPORE