About a week later, there was the Chinese New Year celebration, and this was one of the most fun nights I had while in Singapore! My friends and I showed up later in the evening to a festival in the downtown area. There were vendors selling food and desserts, and large statues had been put up. There was also a magnificent fireworks display at the end of the night. You can watch a video of the fireworks display that I recorded here.
There are twelve Chinese Zodiac animals, and each year the animals cycle through. 2020 is the year of the Rat, and in Chinese culture, rats signify wealth, success, and peace. It is easy to look up your own zodiac animal: mine happens to be the Rabbit! It is said that people born in the year of the Rabbit tend to be kind, confident, and strong.
While in Singapore, I also learned that the Chinese New Year is a favorite holiday for many children. This is partly because of the tradition for adults to give red envelopes filled with money to children in the family. My Singaporean friend even gave me an envelope!
At the time of the Chinese New Year Festival, I had only spent a few weeks living in Singapore. Within those weeks, I was fortunate enough to experience the kind welcome of the community. Having been nervous to arrive in Singapore at first, after meeting new friends and getting a chance to participate in their traditions, I was excited to learn more about the community in Singapore.
