Chinese New Year An International Pageant Of Singaporean Proportions

The Chinese New Year is also called the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year

, although the date of the festival is actually determined by both the lunar and the solar Chinese calendar. The most important festival of the Chinese calendar begins on the first day of the first month of the said calendar (somewhere around mid to late January), heralding no less than 15 days of celebration, culminating with the Lantern Festival. This is not only the longest celebration in the Chinese calendar but it is also arguably the most ancient, with a myriad of myths and traditions revolving around the festivities. The highlight of the Chinese New Year is the traditional annual family reunion gala dinner called Chu xi.

In the city of Singapore, with its ready embrace of all major world cultures and constant anticipation of the next great event, the Chinese New Year is one of the most important retail experiences. Singaporeans have only a two-day public holiday in which to tie up their own celebrations and visit their friends and relations as per custom, so families begin shopping for New Years gifts well in advance. The air of palpable anticipation and retail glitz and glam pervades the air all over the city, nowhere more so than in Chinatown. The streets become a riot of lanterns, street markets and street theatre, whose celebrations only increase in crescendo over the month to climax only in late February.

Vibrant street lights are seen along Eu Tong Sen Street, South Bridge Road, New Bridge Road, Pagoda Street, Sago Street, Terengganu Street, and Garden Bridge of Chinatown. The Chinese New Years Eve Countdown also happens in Chinatown, replete with a spectacular fireworks display.

Pagoda Street and Terengganu Street as well as a myriad of others come alive in a pageantry of colour with festive street bazaars, as rows upon rows of stalls are set up hawking all kinds of gauds and sweetmeats. Red paper decorations dominate, as do baskets of mandarins, New Year cookies and pussy willow. Small red envelopes called hong bao are available for married couples to give away to younger unattached ones as a token of good luck and blessing. Nightly stage shows and cultural performances can be seen centred around Kreta Ayer Square as well as Marina Bay.

One of the main highlights is the Singapore River Hong Bao Carnival which is traditionally held at the Marina Promenade. This festival encapsulates the ethnic vibrance of the Chinese festival, featuring a bewildering array of authentic delicacies and traditional arts and crafts. Mythical creatures, heroes and gods from ancient Chinese folklore hold court in the fairground, also dotted with pagodas and signature cherry blossom trees. World-renowned artisans and performers are flown in from China for nightly cultural performances, showcasing talents ranging from finger painting and calligraphy to acrobatics.

The other iconic event held in honour of the Chinese New Year is the Chingay Parade, the largest of its kind in Singapore. What started out as a simple New Years procession of traditional Chinese lion and dragon dances has now evolved into a massive event of international proportions, incorporating everything from over 5000 Taiwanese acrobats, Filipino cultural dancers and even salsa artists. With its spectacular floats featuring both delicate traditional floral designs to state-of-the-art multimedia, the two night street extravaganza is a proud modern-meets-ancient showcase of Singapores multi-ethnic character.

When partaking in the flurry of activity and taking in the best sights of Singapores many festivals, it is of great importance to find lodging in a hotel in Singapore that offers the most centralized vantage point of the citys festivities. Marina Bay Sands Singapore is not only one of the most happening hubs of celebration in the Lion City, it also offers the travellers some great Singapore hotel deals that makes their stay a luxurious and value-for-money experience.

by: Pushpitha Wijesinghe

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