One of the things I love most about living overseas is learning about the local holidays. This has certainly been the case in Asia, where there are no western counterparts to many celebrations. The most intriguing I’ve come across is the Hungry Ghost Festival, celebrated among Chinese people across Asia on the 15th day of […]
Chinese New Year
What about those little red envelopes?
On New Year’s Eve, when Chinese families gather for a festive dinner, married people begin the distribution of small red envelopes filled with money (called lai see in Hong Kong and hong bao in Singapore) to children and single members of the family. It varies slightly between countries, but during the first 10 days of the […]
Uniquely Singaporean: Lo Hei
Photos of Lo Hei by Jeanne Gunsolus Lo Hei is a traditional New Year’s dish eaten in Singapore. Though I’ve heard it has now spread to Hong Kong and Taiwan, I’d never seen or tasted it until I moved here. While lo hei is served as an appetizer, it is more complicated than a simple salad. […]