Getting ready for the roaring Tiger

With the year of the Tiger greeting us in less than two days, let's see ....

1. Wash the car - Checked! After being in the queue for 1 entire hour and killing time playing Bejeweled Blitz on my iphone. After an hour, I still couldn't beat the hubs high score of 168,400!
2. Pamper my nails - Checked! Thanks to the wonderful ladies @ Polished Nails & Spa
3. Pack ang pows - Checked! This year's nicest ang pow packets - The Hour Glass. They were PINK!
   
4. Buy new dress - Checked! I decided to go traditional this year with a lovely qipao I picked up from Shanghai Tang. No surprise what colour it is. It was screaming "buy me! buy me!"
5. Buy kueh bangkit - Checked! Checked! Read previous post for word for word account of mission kueh bangkit!
6. Buy new PJs - Checked! PJs are a huge affair in the Koh family. For me, slipping into new ones to bed on the eve of the New Year is probably one of the longest tradition I've been keeping to. This year's comfy M&S's PJs come courtesy of the hubs! : )
7. Get a haircut - Checked! I only trust Ashley's pair of hands & scissors!
   
8. Visit Chinatown - Checked! I'm 30 and till today, I do make it a point to visit Chinatown before CNY. When we were younger, going to Chinatown during CNY was a big thing! I remember my dad will carry me on his shoulders when the crowd got so bad and we'll go in search of our white rabbit sweets! Today, although the atmosphere is not quite the same - you see more stalls selling German bratwurst and Takopachi than white rabbit sweets - its still radiates a nice festive and celebratory mood fitting for arrival of Spring!
   

Well, looks like I'm all ready for the roaring year of the Tiger! I may prefer Christmas over CNY for the message it means to me but I enjoy the tradition that comes with celebrating CNY. The red decorations that fill the house, gathering at grandpa's place with my cousins munching on keropok and peeling mandrine orange (for my lazy cousins), the kumquat tree that brightens up our garden, the smell of mom's yummy chap chye & hae cho.

I don't understand why some Chinese are proud that they don't celebrate CNY. I actually feel sad for them! I feel blessed to have a family to celebrate the festive with!