Ushering in the Year of the Dog

It's a long weekend of revelry as Singaporeans gather for Chinese New Year festivities

Over 90 members of three generations of the Thia extended family gathered at Amber Point condominium yesterday for their Chinese New Year celebration. Three large tables were used for their lo hei - the tossing of raw fish salad for good fortune. The
Crowds thronged the River Hongbao 2018 last night. The 11-day multi-sensory extravaganza at The Float @ Marina Bay, which is on until Feb 24, features interactive fun, fireworks, food and festive spectacles to welcome the Year of the Dog. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Over 90 members of three generations of the Thia extended family gathered at Amber Point condominium yesterday for their Chinese New Year celebration. Three large tables were used for their lo hei - the tossing of raw fish salad for good fortune. The
Over 90 members of three generations of the Thia extended family gathered at Amber Point condominium yesterday for their Chinese New Year celebration. Three large tables were used for their lo hei – the tossing of raw fish salad for good fortune. Their yearly gathering on the third day of Chinese New Year started in 2014. Before that, each family visited the elders during the festival at different times. ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG
Over 90 members of three generations of the Thia extended family gathered at Amber Point condominium yesterday for their Chinese New Year celebration. Three large tables were used for their lo hei - the tossing of raw fish salad for good fortune. The
Visitors taking pictures with mascots of the Chinese zodiac in the atrium of Marina Square yesterday. This Chinese New Year marks the start of the Year of the Dog and the end of the Year of the Rooster. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
Over 90 members of three generations of the Thia extended family gathered at Amber Point condominium yesterday for their Chinese New Year celebration. Three large tables were used for their lo hei - the tossing of raw fish salad for good fortune. The
Mr Chee Hong Tat (right), Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and Health, with Mr Warren Fernandez (centre), editor-in-chief of Singapore Press Holdings’ English/Malay/Tamil Media group and editor of The Straits Times, and SPH staff during a visit to SPH News Centre on the first day of Chinese New Year last Friday. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Over 90 members of three generations of the Thia extended family gathered at Amber Point condominium yesterday for their Chinese New Year celebration. Three large tables were used for their lo hei - the tossing of raw fish salad for good fortune. The
Visitors on the Istana grounds during an open house on the second day of Chinese New Year last Saturday. President Halimah Yacob launched the President’s Challenge Memorabilia, a showcase of artworks of scenes within the Istana created by beneficiaries. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
Over 90 members of three generations of the Thia extended family gathered at Amber Point condominium yesterday for their Chinese New Year celebration. Three large tables were used for their lo hei - the tossing of raw fish salad for good fortune. The
Education Minister (Schools) and Second Minister for Transport Ng Chee Meng (in red top) taking part in lo hei with members of the National Taxi Association during a visit to Changi Airport last Friday. Many in the public service sector continued working on the first day of Chinese New Year, and ministers and MPs visited their workplaces as a show of appreciation. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID

Singaporeans ushered in the Year of the Dog, with a long weekend of family gatherings, feasting and revelry starting last Friday, the first day of this year's Chinese New Year.

Following a reunion dinner on the eve of the festival, many Chinese families continued the tradition of visiting relatives on the first day, with the younger generation paying respects to elders. In return, the young ones received blessings with gifts of hongbao, or red packets with money, as a symbol of luck.

Many Singaporeans were decked out in new clothes with red hues - an auspicious Chinese New Year tradition - as they made their rounds, or thronged the festive events around town. At the annual River Hongbao, held at the Marina Bay floating platform, visitors snapped pictures beside larger-than-life lantern displays of animals of the Chinese zodiac and were treated to fireworks displays. The event runs until Saturday.

Amid the celebrations, many in the public service industries, such as bus captains and taxi drivers, continued working. As a show of appreciation, ministers and MPs visited their workplaces, including bus depots and Changi Airport, giving out mandarin oranges and having lo hei - the tossing of raw fish salad for good fortune - with the workers.

Chinese New Year celebrations last for 15 days and many families gather for a meal on the last day as well.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 19, 2018, with the headline Ushering in the Year of the Dog. Subscribe