Happy (?) Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year.

I guess it's true when people say that you don't know how something is such a part of you until it's taken away from you. Please give me my Chinese New Year back.

No more kuih kapit. No more school holidays. No sitting in the back seat of the car visiting relatives. No more aunts commenting on how fat you've grown and about that pimple on your forehead and how they want to pop it. No more gambling, mahjong addicted chor dai di addicted uncles. No more pouring cups of tea (or coca-cola if you prefer) for visitors. No more waiting for my little ang pow of money after the tea business is done.

Instead, I sit in the lobby of the building I live in handing out toilet paper (two rolls only!) to residents. It's Chinese New Year! I yell at them. It's Chinese New Year! Oi! Gong xi, Gong xi!! It's Chinese New Year! Xin nian kuai le! It's Chinese New Year! Oi!

But you know what? It's not Chinese New Year here. It's just another day.