The Role of CNY Goodies in Strengthening Family Bonds

Ring has several meanings in Chinese culture and one of them is CNY, a festival when Chinese people reunite with families to welcome the lunar year. One cannot also talk of celebrations without taking into consideration the so many lovely foods that families prepare and take as they celebrate. These CNY goodies serve as a fundamental process in unite the families as well as develop a strengthen the bond between the family members during this joyous celebration through the sharing of foods and participation of many activities.

May I say that among favorite events for this season is the wide array of SNACKS which are prepared for the Chinese New Year. Basic tea time cakes, love letters, kueh bangkit, pineapple tarts and bak kwa are always present in every home. These kuih are prepared by the aunties several days before CNY, where every family boasts their traditional, heirloom recipes for the occasion. Ahead of CNY eve, reunion dinner, the family members would eagerly start to scoop into larger plates full of these delicacies. Chewing on the easily recognizable flavours of childhood Chinese New Year snacking delights, blabbers of high-pitched tones buzz as memories of past celebrations of Chinese New Year are recounted. Sharing becomes done mechanically because these tasty treats remind people of their yester years or childhood.  

Families also have the tradition that in the preparation for CNY they also prepare those snacks in their own way. Hard working grandparents will patiently teach young grandchildren on how to write romantic flaky love letters and how to make kueh bangkit luxurious and tender, completed by pinching the ends. Teaching older children get their parents work the ingredients and bake delicious pineapple tarts. It is great fun for families to engage in lighthearted ‘wah-bai’, where they try to make ondeh ondeh balls into the roundest or bak kwa slices that releases the most fragrant aroma. Cooking takes time for both and the humour adds pleasant memories of family bond accentuated on food preparation.     

Exchange and presentation of CNY goodies also assist in the development of relationships with those close and those who are away. During the days counted down to CNY, people are accustomed to exchanging ornate hampers and prestige bumper boabos parading an assortment of cookies, cakes and other sweet items. People pick up large baskets filled with CNY foods and bring them to neighbors, or parents bring packed CNY food to parents and parental-in laws as a sign of respect and care. There is no better way of wishing people well than giving them home-made treats with good intentions put into them. Each bite in the recipient’s mouth will give sentiment of family regardless the distance and generations apart.  

The most important meal that rounds off family reunion is consumed on CNY eve. The very much awaited meal represents all the family members coming together in one même to celebrate and welcome a new beginning. Traditionally prior to the sumptuous banquet, members of the family will engage in yusheng or the prosperity toss to wish for good health, wealth and prosperity. Together everyone joyfully stirs the rainbow ingredients with a chant of “lo hei” everyone is happy and united. One hears loud laughter in between tosses of yushua, symbolising togetherness as seen within the family. The rest of dinner is full of affectionate and laughter, families share the happiness over stews and other dishes containing fish, prawn and frog, abalone and other kinds of seafood. There is probably nothing as powerful as food especially exquisite CNY delicacies prepared to be savored as companionship.

The tea session after reunion dinner allows families to spend quality time together over Chinese tea and a table covered with enticing desserts. Petit fours painted red and green combine their layers of chocolate and nuts with a symbol of togetherness with family members. Round mochi signifies unity amongst the family while sweet lotus seed soup denotes wishes for procreative luck for children and grand children in the family. While enjoying the exquisite sweets and expiring aromatic tea, they persist in conversation. Old people will be willing to talk and be listened to more while young people will be privileged to learn much on their roots.   Lack these symbolic CNY desserts might make it difficult for many of these moments or even the conversations to take place naturally.  

In other words, due to many types of CNY snacks and sweets prepared and distributed by various families, they are able to spend more quality time together enjoying this important festive season. Both practices involve eating, a domain of family solidarity, and links elements associated with food and the family to unity, order, and succession. CNY goodies are important in reuniting the family as one during the Lunar New Year as it creates the feels of comfort, thankfulness, and hope.