SINGAPORE - Make family time all the more special with these ideas and activities.
Sign up: Tang yuan making workshop by Samantha Mantou
Learn how to make tang yuan (glutinous rice balls) and shape them into auspicious and adorable designs such as tiger, ingot and money bag.
It is customary to eat tang yuan on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, or yuan xiao jie, which also marks the end of the festive period.
The 75-minute hands-on workshop will be led by Ms Samantha Thong, founder of Samantha Mantou cooking studio, and held at StarBot Cafe in Universal Studios Singapore.
Book a session from Feb 1 to 6 and Feb 10 to 13. The fee varies depending on the number of participants - from $208 for two to $478 for five - and include admission tickets to the theme park and vouchers. Kids have to be at least six years old to take part.
For more information, go to this website.
Read: A True Chinese New Year Story by Josephyne Ho
Wearing red clothes and making loud noises will scare the Chinese New Year monster Nian away, so the legend goes.
In a new children's book, A True Chinese New Year Story, author Josephyne Ho and illustrator Christy Mok offer a fresh take on how kids can truly battle against the monster, so celebrations can continue.
Ho tells The Straits Times: "As Covid-19 appeared around Chinese New Year in 2020, I had the idea that the virus might just be the dreadful Nian of modern day."
Children need to use the humble soap to make bubbles to chase Nian away, says Ho, who is also a senior principal at EtonHouse Pre-School Mountbatten 223.
Besides reminding kids to wash their hands and pay attention to hygiene, she hopes the book will reintroduce some of the festive traditions and the legend of Nian.
A True Chinese New Year Story retails for $14.90 at Books Kinokuniya and Shopee.
Eat: Traditional charcoal steamboat buffet
Hotpot dinner promotions are a dime a dozen, but Kwee Zeen restaurant stands out with its festive buffet offer.
You get to cook in a traditional charcoal steamboat instead of an electric one and, yes, some say food tastes better this way.
Choose from four broths: chicken, Chinese herbal, mala and tom yum.
Besides a free flow of fresh meat, seafood and vegetables for the steamboat, you can have yusheng, roast pork belly, sushi and other delectable items from the buffet stations. There is also a Little Snack Corner for kids.
If you have room for dessert, enjoy the osmanthus jelly verrine and nian gao as well as a range of cakes and ice cream.
Kwee Zeen is located at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa. Available till Feb 15, its Prosperity Steamboat buffet dinner is at $68++ an adult, with the exception of its sessions on the eve and first two days of Chinese New Year, which is at $98++ an adult. Kids aged five to 11 pay half-price, while those four and below dine for free.
Book your table here.
