chinese new year. it seems to me that quite a few people my age don't like it that much. i don't really get it. well actually i can understand why. but i guess its just circumstance and situation.



every chinese new year's day, my relatives come over to my place for the day. then on the second day we go to my aunt's place. it's a ritual gathering at different houses for different occasions of the year.



as the years go by, the children in the families grow older and the gatherings become less of a time spent together and more of a appear and then leave to meet friends and other halves. it's not really a big deal to me i guess cos i'm part of the children. though i'm getting a bit too old to be referred to as a child. we all are.



i don't know what i'm really getting at here but the narrow-minded me sometimes thinks that there shouldn't be so much abhorrence towards chinese new year just because of the sole reason of relatives. perhaps other people get to see their relatives more often than i get to. i only see them a few times each year. usually on occasions. everyone's busy and stays far from each other. but well, the whole point of chinese new year and whatever other occasions is to have kin gather together isn't it? these are ties that we can't sever. i'm not saying that it's a heavy chain that binds us together but it's just something that shouldn't be dismissed so simply.



sure they can get on your nerves sometimes, but then even friends do. maybe everyone should just take some time to think about what the gatherings are about. traditions are old and maybe hackneyed but traditions were started for reasons. and if those reasons were not applicable today the tradition would probably be forgotten or ignored. the most basic tradition would be to gather together and share the occasion. what's the use of having all the decorations and the lights and the food and the preparation if it isn't shared?



even if you see your relatives all the time or even stay with them, maybe this would be a good day to overlook each other's faults and be more open to each other. it might even a good beginning.



people don't get together on festive occasions to rile and annoy each other. they get together to have a good time. at least an amiable time. at least. we can all at least try.