What Makes a Chinese New Year, Singaporean?

Every year, Singapore celebrates Chinese New Year along with Chinese communities across the world. While some of our customs like giving red packets are recognisable globally, others like lohei (symbolically “tossing up good fortune”) might only be familiar to people in the region.

Why is this so? Culture is ever changing. The Chinese New Year practices that early Chinese migrants brought to tropical Singapore have evolved with each generation within a multi-cultural society. With time, we have created a distinctively Singaporean style of celebration.

This exhibition is presented through different stalls for visitors to learn about the various “ingredients” that go into the making of a Singaporean Chinese New Year. Some distinctive events and practices featured in the exhibition include festivities like River Hongbao and Chingay, goodies like pineapple tarts and love letters, and customs such as the giving of red packets and praying to the Jade Emperor.