In Pictures: Chinese New Year preparations in Singapore through the years

The Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar. Preparations for the celebrations include the cleaning of the house, buying of ingredients for feasts and a variety of auspicious items such as the Chinese Almanac, flowers like pussy willow, as well as other decorations and spring couplets.
Here's a look at how Singaporeans prepare for the festival through the years, curated by Simon Ker who was assisted by Doris Goh.
Photographs can be purchased from the Information Resource Centre, tel: 63195726, 63195508

Updated

Published

January 25, 2017 at 2:00 PM

1955: Tangerines and oranges are auspicious Chinese New Year symbols and a must-have celebration item. Tangerines in Chinese sound similar to the word "luck" or ji, and orange sounds like the Chinese word for "success" or cheng. Through the play of words, the Chinese associate the gift of orange and tangerine as having an abundance of happiness and prosperity. The bright orange colour of the fruits also symbolises 'gold', hence it has an auspicious meaning to bring in good luck and wealth. ST FILE PHOTO: HAN HAI FONG

1955: Chinese New Year would not be complete without decorating the home with flowers such as peonies, pussy willows and peach blossoms. ST FILE PHOTO: HAN HAI FONG

1955: Waxed meat is an important delicacy during Chinese New Year. Wax is the Chinese term referring to the technique of preservation, using oil as the main ingredient. Many people believe that consuming oil and fat at the beginning of the year will ensure a smooth journey for the rest of the year. ST FILE PHOTO: HAN HAI FONG

1958: The streets of Chinatown are usually packed with shoppers soaking in the festive atmosphere and looking for last-minute bargains on Chinese New Year’s eve. ST FILE PHOTO: WAN SENG YIP

1967: Elderly women in Chinatown getting their hair done in preparation to welcome the New Year. ST FILE PHOTO: KOK AH CHONG

1952: A peddler selling the Chinese Almanac, a traditionally auspicious item for the Chinese New Year, on a Chinatown street. ST FILE PHOTO

1964: The old and poor are not forgotten and they receive Hongbao from big businesses like Shaw Brothers. ST FILE PHOTO: ALI YUSOFF

2009: Last-minute shoppers throng Chinatown, picking out traditional goodies and decorations or just soaking up the atmosphere. ST FILE PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

2010: Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre well stocked with mandarin oranges for Chinese New Year. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO/LIM KOK MENG

2014: Shoppers at a Chinese New Year bazaar in Chinatown. ST FILE PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

2016: Giving out hongbao or red packets of crisp, new notes is a Chinese tradition signifying a good start to the new year. POSB offers more ways for customers to get new or good-as-new notes ahead of the Chinese New Year. ST FILE PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

2017: Many Singaporeans create a festive atmosphere in their homes and offices by putting up such Chinese New Year decorations. ST PHOTO: SIMON KER

2017: Festive flowers on sale. Plants such as 蝴蝶兰 (Phalaenopsis hybrid) and Kumquat are popular among the customers. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO/HO KAH JOON

2017: Sausages and waxed ducks on sale in Chinatown. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

2017: No lack of choice, festive cookies galore! ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

2017: This year’s Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations will see the addition of several new youth-oriented programmes to enhance and deepen engagement with the young, and young at heart, during one of Singapore’’s largest celebrated festive occasions. ST PHOTO: TIFFANY GOH

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