A virtual Chinese New Year for a family of four generations – The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - Chinese New Year for Ms Jue Wen Too was always a hearty affair. Arriving from as far away as New Zealand, her extended family of four generations would gather at her great grandmother's place for a feast of Hakka delights.

This year, however, the festivities took a more subdued turn. Instead of sitting around a table chatting and playing Blackjack, the family of 40 had to connect through computer screens due to the pandemic.

But while she missed the physical touch of her relatives, the Zoom get-together also made Ms Too think of the way Chinese New Year used to be - full of excitement and chaotic chatter.

Her great-grandmother, Madam Thian Ah Yew, is turning 101 this year, and lives in the Malaysian-city of Seremban, a three-hour drive from Singapore.

As part of yearly traditions, the different families, who live in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and various parts of Malaysia, would make their way to Madam Thian's place, just in time for the first day of Chinese New Year.

Awaiting them would be a feast cooked entirely from memory by Madam Thian, who has been blind for a couple of years due to a fall.

"Her memory is fantastic, so she remembers all the recipes by heart, and she would direct my grandparents and grand-aunt, who live with her, on how to cook these dishes," said Ms Too.

The 25-year-old treasury executive said that her favourite part of Chinese New Year was the idea of everyone gathering with the sole purpose of seeing her great-grandmother.

"It's like she is the glue and anchor holding our whole family together. I definitely miss the Chinese New Year atmosphere, where everyone would catch up, and gamble with one another," she said.

"It was nice to see everyone take part - from the young to the old, sit around the same table to play Blackjack. We always had a good time."

Speaking about this year's online family celebration, she said: "For the older folks, I think using technology like Zoom wasn't easy for them. Functions like muting ourselves and turning on our cameras may seem second nature to us, but for them, it's not easy."

But setting up a virtual Chinese New Year gathering, especially at a time of travel restrictions and isolation, can be a source of comfort for some.

Madam Peggy Lam, who is Ms Too's aunt, lives alone in Kuala Lumpur and has been unable to travel to meet her relatives in Malaysia due to the movement control order, which does not allow people to travel beyond a 10km radius from their homes.

A typical CNY gathering from previous years for Ms Juewen Too's extended family. PHOTO: COURTESY OF JUEWEN TOO

"It's a terrible feeling when you can't be with your families and loved ones, especially at this time of the year," said the 47-year-old special education consultant.

"You feel alone trying to figure out what to do when you are supposed to be surrounded by loved ones! I miss everyone."

To get everyone together, she hosted a Zoom call, both during the reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year (Feb 11) and on Chinese New Year day (Feb 12) so that everyone near or far, could dial in to catch up.

Mr Kenneth Ten, who is Ms Too's cousin, dialled in all the way from New Zealand, where he is studying dentistry.

The 24-year-old student, who used to return to Malaysia every Chinese New Year, found himself stuck in New Zealand this year.

"I'm lucky to have a group of friends with me, so we can still have reunion dinners together and visit each other's flats, but it's different not being around family," he said.

"Chinese New Year is definitely something that our whole family cherishes, especially seeing our grandparents as they're getting older and we want to spend as much time with them as possible."

"I really hope that the Covid-19 restrictions could ease up soon, so that we could see each other soon."

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A virtual Chinese New Year for a family of four generations - The Straits Times

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