Architect Cliff Tan may have lived in London for close to 10 years, but he still misses the tastes from home.
Since 2010, the 32-year-old has recreated, with British staples, numerous classic Singaporean foods such as peanut butter min jiang kueh (old-school Chinese pancakes), curry puffs and Indian rojak to celebrate National Day.
This year, his creative juices will produce a reminder of pork floss bun: brioche buns generously spread with mayonnaise and topped with canned tuna flakes which had been dried and seasoned with sugar and soya sauce.
Mr Tan's most successful creation was min jiang kueh - replicated using toasted crumpets spread with crunchy peanut butter.
"I got the idea when I moved to London in 2010. I was very homesick and found this strange cake at the supermarket called a crumpet.
"I put some peanut butter on it, and was amazed how similar it tasted to min jiang kueh! That got me inspired, and I tried other things, like sticking a hot dog into a brioche bun, which tasted exactly like those you get from the local neighbourhood bakeries," he told The Straits Times in a phone interview on Monday.
Mr Tan, who celebrates National Day with his Hungarian partner Bela Soltesz and occasionally friends from such places as Peru and Ireland, said: "Recreating Singaporean staples is a challenge, but it shows you don't need to be in London's Chinatown to enjoy home food."
Other families living abroad recreate their sense of home by throwing National Day-themed parties and watching the parade online with their loved ones and friends.
For Mrs Priscilla Ho, 40, returning home to watch the National Day Parade live at The Float three years ago was a memorable experience.
The family of four returns home yearly to bask in the spirit and festivities leading up to Singapore's birthday bash.
"Our favourite parade highlights are always the parachutists, followed by the spontaneous and exhilarating Kallang Wave... and, of course, the fireworks," said the housewife.
The extravaganza never fails to intrigue her two children: Nathanael, 10, and Emma, eight. They have grown up abroad since the family moved initially to Shanghai seven years ago and in January this year, to Kuala Lumpur.
This year, however, it will be a quieter affair spent away owing to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
The family will instead host a small dinner party with friends, over local delights such as chilli crab and frog porridge, complete with a live telecast of the National Day evening show at the Star Vista.
"Since we aren't back in Singapore to receive the yearly funpack, I've put together my own for the kids, which is chock full of nostalgic games like magic sparklers, Pop Pop snappers and bubbles," Mrs Ho added.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said Singapore's overseas missions will continue to organise National Day celebrations this year.
But "in view of Covid-19 and to ensure the safety of our guests, such events may be carried out virtually and in accordance with the prevailing local public healthcare measures", i t added.
Meanwhile in Shanghai, Mrs Stella Ng, 39, a trade-marketing manager, will attend a National Day dinner on Sunday with her family at Singaporean-brand Jumbo seafood restaurant where the National Day Parade will be telecast.
Its organiser, the Singapore Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, expects about 200 people to turn up.
"Having lived in China for 14 years, we make it a point to attend National Day gatherings yearly, as it is an important opportunity to foster national identity in our kids."
She hopes that watching the parade will also pique the interest of her 10-year-old son Dylan, "so that there is some sense of belonging when it is his turn to do national service".
