Be a Good Chinese New Year Host | OpenRice Singapore

Lunar New Year 2013 is just weeks away. Before you know it, the Year of the Snake would be ushered in to great fanfare and prosperous accolades. And with the Spring Festival being celebrated on Sunday and Monday (10th & 11th Feb), Singapore is promised an extended weekend from the day itself through Tuesday! Of course, many items on the to-do list have to be achieved before the actual day itself. Be it from the thorough spring cleaning of every nook and cranny in the house to the ardent fuss of serving up intricate heart-warming dishes to every guest, there are many things to do in order to Be A Good Chinese New Year host for your guests. 1 Month+ to Chinese New Year – ‘Tis the time to choose new or select the best clothes!

As a host and with the date drawing nearer, it would be almost impossible to find ample time to go shopping either downtown or the nearby mall for that brand new dress you want to wear. Even if you decide to go with the best in your repertoire of pieces, select them early to prevent a hassle and last-minute panic from deciding what to choose the night before your guests arrive. 2-3 Weeks to Chinese New Year – What to entertain your guests with? Let’s stare at the oranges!

Thinking far ahead, the guests have arrived but what do they do? Do they sit down have a meal? Have Ah-Girl serenade with her newly learnt song? Watch that last home video of boy-boy? Warm their hands around the mahjong table? Or simply stare at the oranges? It is almost imperative for any good host to have at least some activities to warmly welcome your guests with. While most will definitely have a spread of dishes to even steamboat for guests to settle their tummies on, there should be more than one activity for the day. Otherwise, all that is left to do would be to count the number of pores each orange has! 3 Weeks to Chinese New Year – There’s a stain on the window!

Time is ticking and now would be a good time to start that thorough spring cleaning. From top to bottom, almost everything has to be turned upside down and dusted out. Be ready to have stock in brooms and trash bags though as you will never know how much unneeded items and dust need to be discarded. After all, once the New Year starts, it is considered unlucky to do any cleaning even if there is an obvious stain on the window that leaves your hand twitching vigorously for a wet towel and detergent. 2-3 Weeks to Chinese New Year – Out comes the RED decorations!

It pays to decorate early. Once the cleaning is done, most of the house would be ready to have lanterns, prosperous couplets and bright red banners hung up. For another year of luck, prosperity and good tidings, dressing the house in red is a no brainer. And your guests will definitely love the jovial mood. 1 Week to Chinese New Year – All the little tidbits and groceries rejoice!

This is probably the most hectic preparation leading up to the New Year. Three significant items are definitely required : Snacks, Drinks, Ingredients. Tidbits and snacks are the most significant items to have as a representation of abundance. Be it from sweets, love letter rolls, prawn crackers or to that lovable Pumpkin seeds. And having slices of Bak Kwa adorning the table would be the crème de la crème. An assortment of fizzy drinks, packets of chrysanthemum tea and even a few cartons of canned beer for good measure is a must. But of course, while the finger food and beverages are considered, all the ingredients which are required for whipping up dishes to entertain your guests over lunch or dinner have to be purchased. Be prepared for a slightly overflowing refrigerator if you are expecting lots of visitors. 1 Week to Chinese New Year – Make way for the Mandarin Oranges!

Have plenty of Mandarin Oranges for exchanging luck and fortune with each other, though the timing on when to purchase them is a key factor. Too early, and the fruit may spoil. The day before the New Year, and you may not have the best ones available left. ---- Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year is the longest and most important festival in the Lunar Calendar. The preparatory agenda is long and detailed, especially if you are receiving guests into your home. But amidst all the hustle and bustle, the end result is well worth it. And a delightful Lunar New Year is set to come! Choose from our best Chinese restaurants picks! Treat your family to these delectable salted-egg dishes