Ready For the Year of the Rat

Yes the Chinese New Year is fast approaching, a time of colourful and noisy celebrations in Singapore. With around 70% of the population here being of Chinese descent, the culture, language and traditions of that race are very strong and feature prominently on the festive calendar.

Chinese New Year is the most important day on the Chinese calander, and is celebrated from the first day of the first lunar month until the fifteenth, which is called the Lantern Festival.





Chinese New Year is also a lot of fun for non-Chinese as well though. Today I took the kids down to Chinatown to enjoy the streetmarkets which have sprung up on Pagoda, Smith, Sago, Temple and Trengganu Streets, and in the People's Park Complex. We didn't get to see it all - 3 and 6 year olds aren't as fascinated by cultural events as their Mum's apparently - but we did have quite a good look around and came back loaded with all sorts of goodies.

Red and gold are the colours that dominate at the this time of year, symbolising prosperity and luck. Because New Year is also known as the Spring Festival there are lots of things decorated with the peony, a flower associated with spring and good fortune.





The brilliant stalls were a beautiful sea of red and gold and to my relief most of the things on offer were very cheap, usually just $1 - $2 so it was easy to indulge the kids (and myself!) without feeling guilty.

We bought beautiful red and gold fish to hand on the curtan tie-backs, and the kids chose dangly things to hang on their doorknobs.

As it's about to be the Year of the Rat - the first in the Chinese Zodiac calendar - the little rodent it depicted in everything from jade to chocolate, although there are plenty of distinctly cutsie-mouse like versions out there. Disney has decided to get its hands on the action this year and Mickey and Minnie Mouse were also evident, looking decidely Western and out of place, I have to say. Still, I guess for most people, a rodent is a rodent.

For those of you who care, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Affleck, Samuel L Jackson, William Shakespeare and Mozart were all born in the year of the rat.

For the kids the absolute highlight of the street markets at this time of year are the huge stalls selling brightly wrapped candy. It's literally a feast for the eyes and totally irresistable for them. While they filled bags with goodies I indulged in a selection of gold paper wrapped coins, plastic goldfish stuffed with an unusual sweet jelly, and little plastic rats filled with chocolate.

I fell in love with the bright red strings of chillies, made of silk and stuffed with padding. One is now hanging in my kitchen and really cheers up the stark white tiles in there. I'm not sure what the chillies are supposed to represent - maybe they will spice up our love life! - but they look fantastic.


Of course we had to buy the obligatory rodents to put on the door, and these now have pride of place in the lift lobby to welcome us home.

Personally I really like rats - I've had several as pets in the past - so I'm quite happy to say goodbye to the Year of the Pig. And in Eastern cultures the rat is viewed quite differently to Western ones. Following is a quick overview of the horoscope animals


While Westerners tend to consider the rat to be the lowliest of beasts, the Eastern rat is revered for its quick wits and its ability to accrue and hold on to items of value; rats are considered a symbol of good luck and wealth in both China and Japan. *"Clever and quick-witted, the Rat of the Chinese Zodiac is utterly disarming to boot. Possessed of excellent taste, this Sign flaunts its style at every turn. Its natural charm and sharp, funny demeanor make it an appealing friend for almost anyone. The Rat likes to know who is on its side and will treat its most loyal friends with an extra measure of protection and generosity."

Then there's my sign, the Dog.
"People born in the Year of the Dog are said to possess the best traits of human nature (of course!). They have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and inspire other people¡¦s confidence because they know how to keep secrets. But Dog People are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They care little for wealth, yet somehow always seem to have money. They can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. Dog people make good leaders."

Hubby's sign is the Dragon.
"People born in the Year of the Dragon are healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered, and stubborn. They are also honest, sensitive, brave, and they inspire confidence and trust. Dragon people are the most eccentric of any in the eastern zodiac. They neither borrow money nor make flowery speeches, but they tend to be soft-hearted which sometimes gives others an advantage over them."

Niels is a Snake which pleases him no end.
"People born in the Year of the Snake are deep. They say little and possess great wisdom. They never have to worry about money; they are financially fortunate. Snake people are often quite vain, selfish, and a bit stingy. Yet they have tremendous sympathy for others and try to help those less fortunate. Snake people tend to overdo, since they have doubts about other people's judgment and prefer to rely on themselves. They are determined in whatever they do and hate to fail. Although calm on the surface, they are intense and passionate."

It will come as absolutley no surprise to learn that Carl is a Monkey.
"People born in the Year of the Monkey are the erratic geniuses of the cycle. Clever, skillful, and flexible, they are remarkably inventive and original and can solve the most difficult problems with ease. There are few fields in which Monkey people wouldn't be successful but they have a disconcerting habit of being too agreeable. They want to do things now, and if they cannot get started immediately, they become discouraged and sometimes leave their projects. Although good at making decisions, they tend to look down on others. Having common sense, Monkey people have a deep desire for knowledge and have excellent memories. Monkey people are strong willed but their anger cools quickly."



If you want to find out what zodiac sign you are and what it means, check out the following link:
http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/zodiac/zodiac.html which is also where I got the information on our family's zodiac signs from.