GEORGE TOWN: As the Chinese New Year celebrations draw to a close today, Chap Goh Meh will light up the night with crowds tossing mandarin oranges for luck and romance, bringing the 15-day festivities to a vibrant end.
Often dubbed Chinese Valentine’s Day, the celebration will also see families and friends gathering for a night of tradition, laughter and reunion.
For Kelly Khor, 28, Chap Goh Meh is a cherished family affair.
“More than 20 of us will gather for steamboat,” she said, adding that the celebration is as much about togetherness as it is about tradition.
“We will toss yee sang and spend quality time together, playing cards, mahjong and other games,” said the model from Velvet Model Creative.
Although it is customary to throw mandarin oranges into water (rivers, lakes or seas) for “good fortune” in romance, Khor and her fellow model friends – Chloe Tan, 17, Carol Lye, 28, and Ashley Ng, 23 – were spotted performing the act a day earlier along Sinaran Coastal Drive at The Light City here.
They said they did it early as they would be spending time with loved ones on the actual day.
Chap Goh Meh – literally meaning the night of the 15th day in Hokkien – is observed on the 15th day of the Chinese lunar calendar and marks the end of the Chinese New Year festivities.
For Tan, 17 may be “too young” to wish for romance, but she threw her first mandarin orange just to keep the custom alive.
“I wished for a good year ahead,” said the Form Five student.
Tan has been looking forward to Chinese New Year each year as many of her cousins return from abroad, including Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.
To cap off the festivities, she said her family would have a simple dinner before heading out to watch others toss oranges and soak in the atmosphere.
For Lye, Chap Goh Meh is also a precious occasion to reunite with relatives from abroad.
“We’ll have a house party in the evening and then head out to watch the fireworks,” said Lye, who also runs a pastry business.
Ng said this year’s Chap Goh Meh was especially meaningful as she could be with family.
“I’m usually busy with my studies, but since I’m on semester break, I can spend time with my parents and attend family gatherings.”
Ng, who is pursuing a degree in Pharmacy, said her family keeps the occasion simple, marking the close of the festivities with a modest get-together.
Although she has a boyfriend and does not toss mandarin oranges for romance, she said she still joined her friends in the tradition for luck.
