Thoughts in Words: December 2008

2008 Bows Out, Hello 2009

December 31

Fireworks at KLCC, from the apartment on Old Klang Road

The end of 2008 was dawning as we gathered for a pot bless at Calvin's apartment on Old Klang Road. Whilst he provided the drinks, the rest of us brought food, tidbits and boozes, of course! It was also an informal apartment warming for him since he moved in not too long ago.

We dugged into our mini feast of stir-fried roast pork, crispy fried anchovies which went well with beer, tuna spaghetti, shrimp nuggets, beef meatballs, egg sandwiches and coleslaw. When our stomachs were filled, out came all the other snacks - candies from Macau, chocolates and juicy strawberries (if we had cooked those Hershey's dark chocolates, we'd have strawberry dip...now why didn't we think of that?).

Fragrant glutinous cake, ginger candy with coconut, Hershey's dark chocolates; fresh strawberries

Coleslaw, egg sandwiches, shrimp nuggets, tuna spaghetti, beef meatballs

Crispy fried anchovies, stir-fried roast pork

To kill time, we had few rounds of charade using Pictionary cards, and since we were all playing, none of those hilarious and silly mimings were captured. Perhaps all that seemed silly, as we laughed our heads off, with us intoxicating ourselves with tequila sunrise and French rose wine. With all the energy spent miming, laughing and guessing, we stopped when we heard fireworks going off. We cramped ourselves together watching the symphony of colourful fireworks blasted into the black sky for a good half-an-hour.

Chivas on the rocks

2009 was ushered in with the first round of Chivas on the rocks as soon as the fireworks ended. We had another two rounds of that as we spent the early hours of morning chattering about everything under the sky. It was half past three in the morning when the last few of us left the apartment. What a boring way of celebrating new year, some might say. Well, we had our version of fun. Each to his own, and that was all that mattered.

Two-in-One

December 20

A simple pre-Christmas and Winter Solstice festival gathering with cousins took place at our humble abode. There were no roast turkey, or baked potatoes. Not even a celebration cake. Neither were there steamed chicken and stir-fried mixed vegetables. Instead, I whipped out three simple east-meets-west style dishes - chinese turnip and orange salad in apple cider, honey and mint dressing, honey mustard chicken, and tomato-based minced pork macaroni.

Dessert was tong yuen, round glutinous rice balls in hot, light syrup. The partaking of these soft, chewy rice balls symbolises family unity, and prosperity for the following year. I remember my younger years spent with my grandparents, and I helped roll the kneaded dough in small balls. They were left overnight to harden so they were more chewy and not easily dissolved when boiled and cooked in syrup. Perhaps next year I would attempt to make some with red bean paste or gula melaka filling, or savoury ones with peanut filling.

Homemade white and yellow plain glutinous rice balls

The gathering was more for fellowship and sharing as we came close to the end of 2008. Later into the night, three bottles of wines, including a Brown Brothers late harvest laid on the garden table. We stayed up late chatting away in the porch, with both our neighbours putting up with our loud chatters and laughters in the stillness of the night, which drowned even the chirpings of the crickets in the park across our abode. Boring as it might have seemed, nothing beats bonding of such.

Of Love, Alcohol and Food

The Wedding

December 6

Down the street, car honks blared. The entourage has returned with the bride. Down the car came James and Mark, who experienced the Malaysian chinese wedding for the first time. James was holding the gift basket, and Mark was clucthing on to a bright red umbrella. It was a priceless sight :P

Howie, Anthony's younger brother was both the driver and the one that opened the car door for the couple as the rest of the family members lined both sides of the porch cheering them on, and clicking away on digital cameras.

Paying respect to the deities and ancestors was the first thing the couple did after they entered the house. My grandma, the matriach did the same, and prayed for blessings for the newly weds. After serving tea to the ancestors, the couple served tea to the rest of the family members according to their rankings in the family hierarchy, beginning with grandma, followed by khaw foo and khum mou, Anthony's parents. from them, Mei Yee (Yuki) received jewellery and ang pows (red packets) as gifts. The rest of aunts, uncles and cousins gave ang pows. Tea ceremony, a must in a chinese wedding, signifies the acceptance and the welcoming of a new member into the family, and to inform all members of the new addition, giving due recognition and status to the bride and/ groom.

Grandma in prayers

Words of wisdom from the matriach

Gifts from parents-in-law

Family portraits

When the tea ceremony was over, the couple proceeded to their room. Anthony carried Mei Yee into the room. Mei Yee's nephews were brought into the room, and they started jumping on the couple's new bed. The older of the two nephews broke the seal covering the new red potty, filled with gold packets and oranges for auspice. Both acts symbolise blessings of offsprings for the couple The potty was an item in the set of bright red bath items for the couple.

I will carry you for life, even when my bones become rickety...

Mei Yee's nephews jumping on the couple's new bed

Breaking the seal

The session ended with Anthony removing the veil from Mei Yee's head, an act symbolic of eternal union, and she removed his jacket.

Gently removing the pins before removing the veil

The whole afternoon thereafter was a light and easy session for the rest of the family members, feasting on good food, endless supply of alcohol, and tonnes of sinful chocolates brought back from Australia by cousin, Maggie who touched down in KLIA international airport half past five in the morning, and came straight for the auspicious occassion.