It was a quiet Chinese New Year here in France, with just my wife, dog and myself having a casserole for the Reunion dinner on the eve, followed by vegan meals for the New Year itself. To be honest, I was rather envious of the pictures of sumptuous dinners and meals posted by family, friends, and ex-classmates in Malaysia. The images and well wishes do remind me of the significance of what it means to be Chinese during the Lunar New Year.
The Chinese ascribe a lot of importance and symbolism to their food, especially during the Lunar New Year. Eating dumplings is supposed to confer wealth, and so does spring rolls. Having a whole steamed fish is allegedly linked to an increase in prosperity and glutinous rice cakes are purported to lead to a higher income or promotion at work.