Chinese New Year

There is typically a rush of activity leading up to Chinese New Year, including spring cleaning, shopping, decorating, and of course, lots of eating. There are still many customs you can (safely) follow to celebrate the festivities and welcome the Year of the Ox even though this year's festivities may be different from what we're used to.

Replace the outdated with the modern

Do you still remember the saying, "New Year, New Me"? The Chinese concur with this. Making sure to start your shopping early will help you score the finest deals. It is customary to don brand-new clothing from head to toe on the first day of the new year as it represents a fresh start.

Decluttering the home at the start of the new year is typical since it purges the family of the ill luck that has accumulated over the previous year. At the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day, prosperity will arrive, and no cleaning is permitted because doing so will "sweeping away" this abundance of prosperity.

The practice of staying up late on New Year's Eve

The custom of staying up late on New Year's Eve, sometimes referred to as "shou sui" (守岁), translates literally as "guarding the age." A strong reason for the small ones to forgo their regular bedtime is that it is believed that children who remain up past midnight to ring in the new year will ensure the lifespan of their elders.

Continuous feasting

Undoubtedly, the cuisine is among the greatest aspects of Chinese New Year. We eagerly anticipate the reunion dinners in addition to grabbing any new year treats we can find and devouring plates upon plates of yu sheng.

Grain is offering a luxurious Chinese New Year Party Set, available in 8 or 9 meals, for your get-togethers this year (for 4–6 and 8–10 guests respectively). The nine-course party set has a Platter of Togetherness that offers delectable cold appetizers like baby octopus, smoked duck, and seasoned jellyfish, taking its influence from the lavish spread of traditional Chinese banquets.

Choose a mouthwatering main like Auspicious Goji Rice or Braised White Bee Hoon, and pair it with a variety of mouthwatering entrees and sides like the Nourishing Ginseng Chicken Thigh or the Happiness Thai-Canton Steamed Barramundi. With the Full of Joy Creamy Taro with Golden Pumpkin, you can finish your dinner sweetly. It is similar to the traditional Teochew orh-nee but with a fragrant finish from soft, sweet pumpkin.

All night long, Mahjong

The game may have gained popularity because to Crazy Rich Asians, but we were playing it long before it was trendy. Mahjong is one of the best ways to spend (a lot of) time together, especially since a full game requires a total of 16 hands, and is frequently played during get-togethers because it is associated with wealth and prosperity during the new year celebrations (4 hands per wind direction). The game can last for so long in fact that it's similar to a marathon in length. You're not playing it right if hours after the last game you're not still hearing the clacking of the tiles in your mind.

Gift-giving

At Chinese New Year, everyone is unusually charitable; from swapping mandarin oranges for red packets, the holiday is all about sharing good fortune in the hopes that everyone has a beautiful year full of rewards.

Grain has created a Chinese New Year Prosperity Pack this holiday season (minimum 20 guests), allowing you to partake in your fair share of gift-giving as well. A pair of mandarin oranges, gourmet salted egg fish skin crunchy chips from The Golden Duck Co., and a customized Fa Cai smoked salmon Yu Sheng are included in each exquisitely packed box. You won't have to struggle to recall the lines because we've provided a Lo-hei Cheatsheet!

Your Prosperity Packs will be delivered to your friends, family, or coworkers wherever they may be on the island, allowing everyone to lo hei together over video call with their own plate—a way to bring the extended circle of family and friends together regardless of the circumstances.

We're looking forward to ushering in an auspicious Year of the Ox after the hardship that was 2020. Therefore, from everyone at Grain, we wish you a Happy Chinese New Year, or "huat ah" as we say during CNY!