Our CNY Horse-picious Celebrations

(Daddy celebrates)

Another year older, another year of feasting and gorging. But what has not changed over these few years is our Chinese New Year house visit routine. And because the first day of the Chinese New Year will see us decked in new clothes, it also gives me the perfect excuse to sit the monkies down before we head out for the mandatory family photo-taking session.

A sign that my monkies are growing up and finding their own voices? It is getting tougher and tougher to get all three of them smiling at the camera at the same time. But there is nothing an angpow (or red packet) cannot solve... for now.

Our first stop of CNY Day 1 is at my parents' place, where the monkies continue in another family tradition that I have grown up familiar with - serving tea to our elders.

Again, the sheer delight in collecting angpows can never be overstated for the monkies.

This year's CNY saw the increase in the headcount of our family - my sister's son, or my nephew, celebrated his first Chinese New Year.

Seeing him brings back memories of Ash celebrating his first CNY back in 2005 when he was only 4 weeks old. He has most certainly come a long way since then which proves the point that when it comes to raising children, the days are long but the years are short.

Yes, that's Ash back in 2005!

After my parents' place, we then head off to my in-laws' place, where the feasting continued. The final two destinations of the day would see us paying visits to both the wifey's and my grandparents' place. As with past years, it is always a boisterous affair, catching up with all our uncles, aunties, cousins, nephews and nieces and exchanging greetings and stories.

Day 2 of CNY usually becomes a more relaxed affair for us compared to Day 1, which gives the monkies (and me) to recuperate from the previous day's exertions. Yes, feasting is hard work you know.

But if the monkies thought that they would be spared of the usual family photo-taking, they were wrong of course.

This year though, Ale was the most cooperative one who proved that this little Diva of mine can be such a joy to photograph at times... if she is in the mood, that is.

We visited 2 of my uncles' and aunties' houses on Day 2 where the feasting inevitably continued.

Day 3, and this was the day that the monkies looked forward to the most as we would be visiting their buddies' home for an afternoon (and night) of play and fun! But first, we had 2 new homes to visit where my sister and the wifey's cousin played host.

And when we finally reached the monkies' buddies' place, I guess there isn't any need for me to say how much fun all the kids had... and how noisy the entire home was.

The adults even managed to get together for a lohei session, something which the kids took great interest in as well.

Our yusheng was from Fish & Co. by the way and it serves 8-10 people!

Yusheng (or Chinese-styled salad with raw fish) is probably the only time when the kids can legitimately play with their food and  throw it high up into the air. Not only that, they are permitted to shout as loud as we want to as we adults usually go 'HUAT AH!' as well.

So it goes without saying that they duly obliged.

All in all, a great 3 days of CNY fun for everyone. And something tells me we are not quite done yet.

Hope you enjoyed your Chinese New Year with your family and loved ones too!