Chinese New Year in CH - what do you do?

Daily Life, Swiss News and General Topics
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It's the first day of the Year of the Ox on Jan 26. Are you celebrating with friends and family on that day or on Chinese New Year's eve this Sunday? Do you take part in 'lo-sang' (raw fish salad tossing and eating) for a happy year of good luck and prosperity?

Since I moved to CH three years ago, I've gotten to know several people of Chinese descent (from Hongkong, Malaysia and Singapore). It's very different celebrating here from back home but we make do (the ubiquitous CNY dishes are a rarity here). What do you cook for the CNY here?

A few of my friends are now visiting their home countries to celebrate the new year with their families. If you're staying here, do you feel homesick?

Tell us about your Chinese New Year experiences in CH.

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i fly back only on the 1st day (first time in 3 years), so i will spending most of the festival back home. i already celebrated it with some friends (~18, mixed) last weekend, something i did for the last few years. these little gatherings afford a measure of comfort for the homesickness, and then some; a proverb goes, better close neighbours than distant relatives.

as for dishes, i bring a lot of dried ingredients from home with me, esp seafood, so its possible to make a couple of festive dishes, but l o sang is too much of a hassle,we did have prawns, fatt choy (the hair-like stuff hier ) and crispy roast pork . there's some moderation as to the selection of dishes, considering the dietary habits of some guests

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I never had anything with cold fish for Chinese New year?! At least in Beijing (where my wife is from) the standard would be to make dumplings with the family.

Last year we had a bunch of people at our place turning the apartment in something looking like a dumpling factory.

This year we do the right thing: Tomorrow we fly to China.

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likewise, we didnt have any dumplings last week, because north is north, and south is south, and never the twain shall meet!

spending CNY in beijing sounds awesome! have a good trip and happy niu (Ox) year!

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A friend wants to make T'ong Yuen (rice flour dumplings in sweet soup) on new year's eve, which was my mum's practice for the mid-'winter' festival (December-ish) back in Malaysia in the good ol' days. I don't know. I'd prefer dumplings with palm sugar or dark brown sugar as filling -- if not, it's rather plain in rock sugar syrup, and then I can't eat more than four little dumplings.

'Fatt choy' is a funny addition to semi-vegetarian dishes. Doesn't taste like much but absorbs the flavours around it (like mushrooms) such as that of dried oysters.

The Malaysian in me will always include a curry dish in my new year's spread. This year it's Beef Rendang.

One tradition I will not carry on in CH is the giving of little red packets of money (or 'hoong pau', as the Cantonese term it). It'd just feel too weird here.

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i made my guests wear red

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normally in sydney, i normally get to gether witht he family, give the red packets to the kids, and spend the afternoon eating loads of seafood.

this will be my first year ever without my family, as its on australia day aswell i will toast a beer or 2 for the new year whilst out with the aussies for oz day.

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Hello,

I'm not chinese, I'm Vietnamese. We also have the lunar new year. One different is in VN, this year is the buffalo, not the ox.

This is the 2nd new year in CH and the 3rd away from home. We usually have a party with Vietnamese friends in Zurich around new year day. On new year eve, it's always for family. I make traditional foods, call my parents, my parents-in-law, send msg to my friends, watch the new year show on internet TV...

Our traditional foods are sticky rice cake, spring rolls, boiled chicken, bamboo shoot soup. Yuummyyy. I still bring the small red envelop for lucky money, and give to my friends' children or younger friends.

Our new year eve dinner last year, not very traditional, but somehow.

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im viet to, your descriptions are making my mouth water...

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Me too. I'd request something close to red if they're allergic to red.

Instead of steamed chicken or roast pork, my other dish will be ginger-garlic chicken stewed till tender and a colourful dish of carrots, mushrooms, leek and glass noodles (signifies long life) stir-fried with oyster sauce and garlic.

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We moved from Shanghai last Sep.

It's the first time we will spend the CNY out of my country.

We will cook some Chinese food,such as Suancaiyu, Yuxiangrousi,etc(sorry, i don't know how to call in English), of course including dumplings.

Also we will watch "Chunwan" from CCTV4......

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You can describe the dishes and the rest of us can help you with the names. Is it fish or pork or beef? Vegetables perhaps - which kind? Steamed, fried or braised? Do the dishes look colourful or brown or pale?

In any case, hope you have a happy CNY and a prosperous and health-bringing Year of the Ox, CNHJ.

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Am already thinking of the Tangyuan I used to have with buddies for Chap Goh Meh as well as the Yee Sang.

Not Chinese, but miss the CNY festivities in KL.

Gong Xi Fa Cai to all with wishes for a prosperous New Year of the Ox.

[ Ang Pow lo lai! ]

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Why an ad for the big 'friendly' M, Jrspet?

I love 'yee sang' or 'lo sang', too -- that varied mix of crunchy things, veggies and thin slices of raw fish drizzled with plum sauce. Not so much the 'tang yuen'.

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Not meant to be an Ad for M .. tried looking around for a Swiss Ang Pow but settled for this instead.

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sorry to intrude here,

its just that it'll be my birthday on Jan 26 and I was wondering whether this will be a good omen

and I was also wondering about what it says the year of the ox will bring ... do you mind ?

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I think the year is more important but that would mean we'd know how young you are - check this link

Your birthday co-incides with CNY 2009, Australia Day and Republic Day in India.

Nice Avatar Sada.

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yes, very! i haven't celebrated it for a few years but i hope i can next year.

i miss all the festivities for sure...maybe will go for dim sum or something

malaysia swiss association are having a dinner on 31 Jan if anyone wants to go...(last sign up on 24th)

unfortunately i can't make it that day..

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Hi, Sada. No problem. Try this page and click on your birth year:

http://www.chineseastrologyonline.co...2009Zodiac.htm

(But double-check the lunar dates as your birthday is in Jan, so you'd get the right animal sign.)

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well then,

I am a pig ,

not necessarly an animal I would choose for myself.

I'd rather be a sea horse or a black panther, depending on the full moon and all.