Celebrate the year of the snake at the Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium

Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium's Xin Cuisine Cantonese restaurant, and their halal-certified buffet restaurant, Atrium Restaurant, will be offering festive delicacies for Chinese New Year (CNY).

Atrium Restaurant

From 13 January to 12 February 2025, Atrium Restaurant presents a new-year themed buffet, featuring yusheng, dimsum, chicken bak kwa, fried nian gao with sweet potato, and CNY cookies. Perennial favourites such as salmon sashimi, oysters, assorted crabs, fish maw soup, grilled lamb chop, roast spring chicken, braised beef brisket with tendon, satay, laksa, and chocolate fondue will also be served on a rotational basis.

Diners visiting on CNY Eve (28 January) and the first four days of the new year (29 January to 1 February) can enjoy mini Buddha jumps over the wall, braised 10-head abalones, and love-letter cannoli. Prices start from S$98, with a 1-for-1 offer for adults.

For the menu, enquiries and bookings, please visit https://singaporeatrium.holidayinn.com/halal-buffet-atrium-restaurant or call +65 3138 2530, WhatsApp +65 9114 0258, or email atriumrestaurant.sinhi@ihg.com

Xin Cuisine

The banquet menu comes at a 10% discount for the festive period, starting from S$768++ for six. Savour dishes like vegetarian salmon yusheng, braised dice abalone with shredded fish maw, Sautéed Prawn and Mushroom in XO sauce, and steamed marble goby in Hong Kong Style, among others.

The à la carte menu includes baked king prawn with cheese, pan-fried Grass-Fed Lamb Rack, Sake and Ice Crystalline Ice plant with Australian scallop, pan-seared Wagyu beef and more.

For more details and reservations, visit https://singaporeatrium.holidayinn.com/chinese-new-year-2025

Takeaways

Welcome the year of the snake with takeaways such as the sliced two-head abalone yusheng. This masterpiece pairs tender, premium two-head abalone with a vibrant medley of shredded vegetables, finished with a signature zesty plum sauce.

For those who prefer a classic twist, there is salmon taro yusheng, as well as the classic salmon yusheng or vegetarian yusheng. Other items on offer include several flavours of pencai, yam and pumpkin cake, or niangao with coconut Sauce.

Xin Cuisine's Chinese New Year takeaways are available for order now till 9 February 2025 through holidayinnatrium.oddle.me with discounts up to 15% off. Collection and delivery will take place up to 12 February 2025. 

 

Source: Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium. The sliced two-head abalone yusheng is available for takeaway from S$128.

Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant
Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium, Level 4
317 Outram Road, Singapore 169074

13 January to 12 February 2025 | Open daily
Wednesdays to Sundays, 11:30 am – 3 pm, 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Call +65 3138 2531, WhatsApp +65 9114 0281 or email xin.sinhi@ihg.com with enquiries.

Chinese New Year cheat sheet for the Year of the Water Rabbit

Rabbits dominate in Chinese New Year decorations for 2023. Festive decorations in Chinatown, Singapore. The greeting in the foreground is 恭喜发财 (gong xi fa cai), 'congratulations on receiving riches and prosperity'.

The rabbit takes over from the ox as the 4th animal* in a 12-year cycle in the Chinese zodiac in 2023. Chinese New Year begins January 22 in 2023, and auspicious language will be the norm from the first till the 15th day of the lunar new year.

A wish for lots of business opportunities:
生意兴隆.

Common greetings are 新年快乐 (xin nian kuai le), 'happy new year' and 恭喜发财 (gong xi fa cai), 'congratulations on receiving riches and prosperity'. Riches are synonymous with success Chinese culture, and especially so around Chinese New Year. 心想事成 (xin xiang shi cheng), 'may your wishes come true', and 福气满满 (fu qi man man), 'prosperity in abundance', will be well received as well.

Fortune-related greetings in business settings include:

- 和气生财 (he qi sheng cai), 'wealth arising from harmony',

- 步步高升 (bu bu gao sheng), or 'rising higher with each step taken',

- 财源广进 (cai yuan guang jin), or 'may riches enter in huge volumes', or 财源滚滚 (cai yuan gun gun), 'may riches gush in',

- 东成西就 (dong cheng xi jiu), or 'achievements everywhere, literally from east to west',

- 工作顺利 (gong zuo shun li), 'may your work go smoothly',

- 鸿运当头 (hong yun dang tou), 'may fortune find you',

- 货如轮转 (huo ru lun zhuan), 'may your products sell like hotcakes, as quickly as wheels turn',

- 马到成功 (ma dao cheng gong), 'instant success' - particularly popular in the year of the horse as the word for horse (马) features in this saying,

- 年年有余 (nian nian you yu), 'surpluses every year',

- 平步青云 (ping bu qing yun), 'an easy path to a meteoric rise',

- 升官发财 (sheng guan fa cai) 'get a promotion and a raise',

- 生意兴隆 (sheng yi xing long), or 'may the business thrive significantly',

- 事业有成 (shi ye you cheng) 'success in business' , 事业发达 (shi ye fa da) 'a thriving business',

- 新年进步 (xin nian jin bu), which means 'making progress in the new year',

- 一本万利 (yi ben wan li), 'reap much more than you invest'.

Greetings can also involve the animal for the year, such as filling in the blank accordingly for ___年大吉 (___ nian da ji), 'great fortune in the year of the ___', and ___年行大運/___年行大运, (___ nian xing da yun), 'great luck in the year of the ___ as it progresses', depending on which animal whose year it is. You may also see ___ 来运转 (___ lai yun zhuan, or 'a change of fortunes when the animal arrives'). Referring to the animal of the year as 福___ (fu ___), or 'the fortune-bringing ___' is also common. It is the year of the rabbit (兔, tu) this year, of the dragon (龙, long) after that, and then the year of the snake (蛇, she).

Coca Cola, the company, is running Chinese New Year campaigns for 2023 with several different messages. Here it is 玉兔送福 (yv tu song fu), 'the jade rabbit* delivers fortune', echoing the wishes in English. 

Puns are common in Chinese when many words sound the same, and brands may pun on positive classical Chinese sayings in their festive marketing** as a result. While rabbit-related sayings are relatively negative, and a number of phrases with negative connotations as homonyms (think 糊涂 [hu tu], 'clumsy', and 吞吞吐吐 [tun tun tu tu], 'stutter'), many marketers have nevertheless found connections that make sense:

- 钱兔似锦 (qian tu si jin), 'the money rabbit has a future as bright as brocade', is a play on 前程似锦 (qian cheng si jin), 'the future is as bright as brocade'. 

- 兔飞猛进 (tu fei meng jin) sounds exactly like 突飞猛进, 'to progress and grow in leaps and bounds', but would mean 'the rabbit has flown in with great fanfare'.

- Similarly 扬眉兔气 (yang mei tu qi) or 'to raise the eyebrows in a rabbit-related atmosphere', makes little sense without the context that the greeting sounds exactly like 扬眉吐气 (yang mei tu qi), 'to feel pride and happiness after completing a difficult task'.

- 兔显神通 (tu xian shen tong), 'to be superpowered with the rabbit', requires the context that 大显神通 (da xian shen tong) means 'to be superpowered'.

- 兔然暴富 (tu ran bao fu), 'get rich with the rabbit', is a play on 突然暴富 (tu ran bao fu), 'to suddenly get rich'. The original saying is 一夜暴富 (yi ye bao fu), or 'to get rich overnight'.

- 大展宏图, sometimes 大展鸿图 (da zhan hong tu) and also reversed as 宏图大展, sometimes 鸿图大展 (hong tu da zhan), meaning 'to unveil or embark on grand plans', can be revised to 大展宏兔 (da zhan hong tu), 'the grand rabbit has been unveiled', or 'to embark on the great year of the rabbit'.

Selection of food packaging from Shein. Clockwise from top left: 兔来运转 (tu lai yun zhuan)，钱兔似锦 (qian tu shi jin)，扬眉兔气 (yang mei tu qi), 兔飞猛进 (tu fei meng jin).

Bossini's Chinese New Year decor says 金兔报喜 (jin tu bao xi), 'the gold rabbit announces happiness'.

Magiclean's Chinese New Year marketing says 兔显神通 (tu xian shen tong).

Giordano has gone for 兔气扬眉 (tu qi yang mei), a variant of 扬眉吐气 (yang mei tu qi).

Coca Cola's Chinese New Year message for Coca Cola: 可口可乐, 扬眉兔气 (ke kou ke le, yang mei tu qi) can be taken to mean 'delicious and inducing happiness, be proud and happy in the year of the rabbit'.

No traditional Chinese New Year banquet in Malaysia and Singapore is complete without a lohei (撈起) ceremony before the meal proper. Loheis are available weeks before Chinese New Year, and up to the 15th day of the new year.

A lohei platter. Each ingredient has an auspicious meaning, including the raw salmon (abundance) in the middle, and the crackers (money).

A platter of yusheng (鱼生), a raw fish*** salad, is first brought to the table after which toppings are ceremoniously added individually, accompanied by auspicious wishes that accompany specific ingredients. The sweet sauce is typically added while saying 甜甜蜜蜜 (tiantian mimi, a wish that life will be sweet) and the fish or seafood component arranged on the salad while saying 年年有余 because 余 (yu, 'surplus'), sounds like 鱼 (yu, 'fish').

Once complete, diners toss (lo) the salad with chopsticks while calling out their wishes for the coming year - just use the ones mentioned above. The higher the salad is raised (hei), the better the luck for the coming year.

If you can't remember too many greetings, don't worry - a simple 'happy new year' is fine. The whole idea is to start off the year right, and it's traditional to hope for fortune, prosperity and success. Just stay away from anything negative. 万事如意 (wan shi ru yi), 'may all things be as you wish'!

Explore:

Fengshui masters typically release forecasts for a new year before Chinese New Year as well. Dato' Joey Yap of The Joey Yap Group and founder of the Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics has released forecasts for different animal signs in 2023, as well as an overview video, where Yap explains who will be the wizards, warriors and healers of the year.

Hashtags: #CNY, #ChineseNewYear, #JoeyYap, #12Animals, #YearOfTheWaterRabbit, #LunarNewYear, #SpringFestival, #ChineseMetaphysics

*The sequence, according to legend, came down to which 12 animals arrived first in a race to be included in the zodiac. The animals crossed the finishing line in the sequence of rat, ox or cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat or sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. What everyone also seems to agree on is that the rat took advantage of the ox. It was actually in second place, but jumped off the ox's back to get to the finish line first. The rabbit is also known as the jade rabbit due to a second legend, in which it offered itself as food to a hungry man. The man turned out to be the Jade Emperor in disguise, and as a reward the rabbit became immortal and was sent to the moon to live forever.


**2019 featured very few puns on pigs in Singapore, and 2020 was the same as the rat is often depicted negatively in classical Chinese phrases. 2021 continued with this trend with just one phrase, 扭转乾坤 (niu zhuan qian kun) or 'a complete change' used, with the word 扭 replaced with the homonym 牛. The year of the tiger was the same, with words that sounded like 虎 being replaced. One brand, UFC, changed 五福临门 (wufu linmen), 'may the five fortunes come to your door', to 虎福临门 (hufu linmen) - 'may the fortune of the tiger come to your door', for instance.

For 2018, the year of the dog, the word 旺 (wang), which has connotations of abundance and prosperity, was common in festive decor as it sounds similar to the sound a dog makes, 汪 (wang). In 2017, the year of the chicken (鸡, ji), drinks manufacturer Pokka wished everyone 吉祥如意 (ji xiang ru yi) - all the happiness and prosperity that you hope for, but replacing 吉 with 鸡, and 祥 with 翔 (xiang), which means to 'soar' in keeping with the avian theme.

2015 was the year of the goat (or sheep), and there are a few festive greetings that take advantage of how the word for goat, 羊 (yang), is a homonym found in various Chinese idioms. 阳光灿烂 (yang guang can lan) is a wish for bright sunlight or a bright future; 喜气洋洋, converted to 喜气羊羊 (xi qi yang yang) for the year, refers to happiness everywhere; while 羊羊得意, really 洋洋得意 (yang yang de yi), is a wish that the recipient will get whatever he or she wants, in the best way possible.

马到成功 is especially apt in the year of the horse in 2014, as the character for horse, 马, begins the greeting, but it can be used at any other time as well.

***Various chefs have experimented with different takes on the salad. The raw fish component has been replaced by Wagyu beef slices, smoked salmon, sliced abalone or lobster for example, while the salad may be replaced by fruit. Fancier toppings such as gold flakes or caviar have also appeared in recent years.

Get ready for Chinese New Year with Amazon

If you’re still getting the office ready for Chinese New Year, Amazon.sg's Chinese New Year store might just come in handy. 

Gifts for clients could include an abalone gift set (S$310.80 for two 454 g cans) or bird’s nest (S$39.90 for six jars), while cheering up the office could include nibbles galore:

Source: Amazon. Snacks for the office for Chinese New Year.

Links from left: Irvin’s Salted Egg Fish Skin | Arrowhead Chips | Small Prawn Crackers | Laksa Potato Chips | Tea House Variety Cans | Coca-Cola CNY Exclusive

Last but not least, red is the colour of the season for office decor:

Source: Amazon. Decorate the office for the season.

Links from left: CNY Banner Letter | CNY Couplets Decoration | Photo Props | Lucky Cat Figures | Daily Planner | Year of the Rat Garland

This Chinese New Year, Prime members enjoy free international delivery with no minimum spend from the Amazon Global Store, in addition to free domestic one-day delivery on Amazon.sg and two-hour delivery on Prime Now.

Customers can try Prime by signing up for a 30-day free trial, and then join Prime for S$2.99 a month.

Singtel's Chinese New Year short film is all about connections

Source: Singtel. Stills from the festive video about always making the right connections.

Singtel  has launched its annual short film for Chinese New Year, celebrating the season’s spirit of making connections and strengthening ties with humour. Titled His Grandfather’s Road*, the light-hearted film centres on road rage between two families that ends on a high note when they realise that they have a lot more in common than they thought.

It’s the first day of Chinese New Year, and in typical Singaporean fashion, the two families are caught up in visiting relatives and friends. En route, their cars meet on a narrow street and come to a halt. Neither wants to budge.

Both sides confront each other, but thanks to a nosy passerby, scurry back to their cars. They decide to wait it out with the help of mobile entertainment - streaming video, playing online games and listening to music. The stalemate is broken in an unexpected way, ending in a traditional lohei.

Lian Pek, Singtel’s VP for Group Strategic Communications and Brand said, “Chinese New Year is the perfect occasion to reinforce Singtel’s long-held values of celebrating connections that count. Hence, this simple tale of two feuding families who discover they need to be more expansive and 'make the right connections' with each other - the film’s tagline.

"Of course, as a company, we’re very much about providing high quality and reliable connectivity services that cater to our customers’ changing lifestyles and expectations. So that gets a playful plug too. You can be stuck anywhere, but thanks to technology, life goes on!”

His Grandfather’s Road is part of Singtel’s on-going branded content strategy, centred around short film campaigns that have allowed the group to bring its brand values to life. Singtel’s Christmas film, The Gift, attracted close to 13 million views over its month-long screening, with numerous news media calling the film “heart-warming”.

“We’re very encouraged by the traction that our films are getting as they’re really bringing home what Singtel’s brand values are all about. While we’ve changed gears this festive season, moving away from our trademark poignant films with emotive storylines, we believe our light-hearted offering still allows us to affirm our values of family, community and inclusivity, served up with a good dash of humour!” added Lian Pek.

Conceptualised in-house and produced in collaboration with Akanga Film Asia, the film will air on Singtel TV and various social media channels from 3 January, and in cinemas from 16 to 29 January.

Details:

Watch the video

*A phrase Singaporeans sometimes use with sarcasm to describe drivers who behave as if they own the road.

Introducing the Xbox CosPups, based on the Chinese zodiac

Source: Xbox. The Xbox Cospups.

For the Year of the Dog, Xbox has brought together the Xbox CosPups – a group of fluffy characters that bring Chinese zodiac traits to life through some of their biggest gaming worlds and heroes.

'Cospups' is a term used for dogs doing 'cosplay', or wearing costumes of characters from books, games and movies.

With names like Master Chihuahua, Sea of Fleas, Mutt-cus Fenix, Fur-za…and the tiny but mighty PUG-G, the Xbox CosPups are the result of a collaboration between Xbox and dog fashion designer, TV personality and gamer Roberto Negrin.

“The world of video games has brought us some of the most iconic characters in entertainment history – from the Master Chief to Marcus Fenix,” said Negrin. “The furry and fierce cast of the Xbox CosPups brought their game at the shoot, and we’ve transformed them with looks their in-game characters would envy!”

Details:

Meet the Xbox CosPups

Singapore travellers love Thailand

Source: KAYAK. Tokyo skyline.

KAYAK, the travel search engine, has compiled the top five destinations for Singapore during the Chinese New Year (CNY) period. The year of the rooster begins with a long weekend spanning Saturday 28 January to Monday 30 January 2017.

Bangkok, Thailand is Singapore’s top travel destination* for the period from 28 January to February 5, followed by Tokyo, Japan and then Manila in the Philippines:

2017 CNY Travels (January 28 to February 5)
Ranking	Destination
1	Bangkok, Thailand
2	Tokyo, Japan
3	Manila, Philippines
4	Melbourne, Australia
5	Denpasar, Indonesia

 

KAYAK also notes that booking early can be lucrative.

● By booking Tokyo flights five months ahead, travellers can expect to save up to 51%** in flight prices.

● For destinations closer to home, such as Denpasar, Bali, booking two months ahead of the intended travel dates can save up to 44%**.

KAYAK recently shared affordable Christmas destinations. At the time Imbert Fung, Director KAYAK Southeast Asia and India commented, "At KAYAK.sg we want to help Singaporeans plan and manage travels more easily. Our travel tools, such as Explore, provide travel inspiration and show Singaporeans how far their set travel budget can take them in the world." 

*Results are based on the flight searches made on KAYAK.sg for travel dates in 2016.

**Compared to the most expensive month.

Capella Singapore unveils Chinese new year promotions

Capella Singapore welcomes the Year of the Rooster (beginning January 28, 2017) with an exquisite selection of ultra-luxurious auspicious menus at Cassia, its Cantonese fine-dining restaurant. Guests can also choose to take a break from the city with theresort’s three-night retreat package over this celebratory period.

Source: Capella Singapore. Capella Singapore's Cassia's Prosperity Lou Hei (百花齐放捞起).

A local tradition for the Lunar New Year, Cassia’s Prosperity Lou Hei (百花齐放捞起), is a
seasonal favourite. Each ingredient has been handpicked by Cassia’s Executive Chef Lee Hiu
Ngai. The lohei comprises generous servings of fresh greens, salmon and homemade passion fruit sauce for a citrusy kick. At S$68++ per serving, the dish is designed to be shared between two and four persons.

Guests dining in pairs can also opt for Cassia’s Signature Lou Hei (凯嘉品味捞起), served with fresh seafood including lobster and sea urchin. Priced at S$38++ per person, this celebratory platter is for a minimum of two diners.

Companies looking to start off the lunar new year right can take advantage of several traditional Chinese New Year set menus featuring Cassia’s authentic Cantonese offerings. Cassia’s Spring Menu (春回大地), priced at S$79++ per person, includes wok-fried min xin with eggs and vegetables topped with chicken floss, as well as homemade water chestnut cream with osmanthus and glutinous rice dumpling.

The Abundant Blessing Menu (吉星报喜), priced at S$139++ per person, features dishes such as dried scallops and sea whelk, as well as wok-fried Japanese M9 Wagyu beef with young ginger and pineapple.

The Double Happiness Menu (如意吉祥), S$169++ per person, and translates to abundance in luck and success for the coming year. The menu includes the braised bird’s nest with sea urchin sauce, the wok-fried lobster medallion with goose Liver, spring onion and ginger, as well as handmade noodles with black truffle and minced Japanese M9 Wagyu beef. 

The Deluxe Fortune Menu (大展鸿图), priced at S$199++ per person, translates to a bright outlook for the year ahead. The ultimate menu has braised Three-heads Australian abalone with sea cucumber, mushroom, bamboo pith and dried oyster, the premium wok-fried Japanese M9 Wagyu beef with black pepper sauce, and stewed handmade noodles with lobster in superior stock.

Capella Singapore also presents a special accommodation package starting from S$800++ per night for its Premier Garden Room, including daily breakfast at The Knolls for two persons and set dinner at Cassia for two persons, once per stay. The package is available from 28 January to 4 February 2017. 

Interested?

Cassia’s lohei platters will be available in the restaurant from 14 January to 11 February 2017. Abalone is also available upon request as an ingredient in this traditional tossed salad dish.

Cassia’s Chinese New Year set menus will be available from 28 January to 11 February 2017. View the festive Chinese New Year menus for Capella Singapore in detail

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post on what to say at the lohei

Digi's Chinese new year promotion focuses on family and tradition

Source: Digi website.

Chinese new year is often the only time in a year when many Chinese see distant relatives, and Malaysian telco Digi is banking on that to run a new year promotion that could reach many eyeballs the world over.

Digi is running a promotion to bring back more precise family titles for Chinese families in an age where relatives outside the immediate family are simply called 'aunty', 'uncle' and 'cousin'. In Chinese, maternal and paternal relatives are differentiated by different titles. There are also different terms used if the person is younger or older than the individual or the individual's parents. Things become convoluted in large families where the youngest children in one generation may be younger than the oldest grandchildren two generations away.

"May you always find the right words to bring your family joy," says Digi to subscribers on its kakilang (own people) website. The company has a quick video as well as a cheat sheet for those who want to know that their paternal uncle who is younger than their father should be greeted as shushu（叔叔) while their maternal aunt who is older than their mother should really be greeted as yima (姨妈).

Interested?

Save the cheat sheet or view the associated video
Digi is also running a related contest on Facebook that ends 22 February

Chinese new year greetings for the office and business lohei

Scroll saying 生意興隆/生意兴隆
(sheng yi xing long), or 'may the
business thrive greatly'

You can't miss the festive feeling in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong or Singapore this time of year. Lucky red and gold objects are on sale everywhere, together with representations of the zodiacal animal whose year it is going to be. Chinese new year is on February 8 in 2016, and you'll be greeting or being greeted in auspicious language from the first day on.

The most common greetings you'll hear are 新年快乐 (xin nian kuai le), 'happy new year' and 恭喜发财 (gong xi fa cai), 'congratulations on receiving riches and prosperity'.

Riches are a recurrent theme in Chinese culture, especially around Chinese new year. Fortune-related greetings for businesses include 财源广进 (cai yuan guang jin), or 'may riches enter in huge volumes', and 生意興隆/生意兴隆 (sheng yi xing long), or 'may the business thrive greatly'. 年年有餘/年年有馀 (nian nian you yu), 'surpluses every year', 大吉大利 (da ji da li), 'lots of fortune and profits' as well as 马到成功 (ma dao cheng gong), 'instant success', are spot on both for businesses and individuals.

马 到成功 is especially apt in the year of the horse (most recently, 2014), as the character for horse, 马, begins the greeting, but it can be used at any other time as well. There are lunar new year greetings which mention the specific year, such as x年大吉 (x nian da ji), 'great fortune in the year of the x', and x年行大運/x年行大运, 'great luck in the year of the x'. Just substitute the underlined character with the appropriate animal. 2016 is the year of the monkey, for instance, and 2017 will be the year of the rooster.

Beyond these traditional greetings are some which are more relevant to those working. 新年进步 (xin nian jin bu), which means 'making progress in the new year', 心想事成 (xin xiang shi cheng), 'may your wishes come true', and the simple 工作顺利 (gong zuo shun li), 'may your work go smoothly', will all be well received. 事业有成 (shi ye you cheng) 'success in what you're working on' and 平步青云 (ping bu qing yun), 'an easy path to a meteoric rise' are equally auspicious. Another greeting revolving around 步 (steps) is 步步高升 (bu bu gao sheng), or 'rising higher with each step taken'.

Before the lohei starts.

These greetings are also said at traditional Chinese new year banquets in Malaysia and Singapore, during the lohei (撈起) part which precedes the meal proper. During the lohei, yusheng (鱼生), a raw fish* salad, is prepared. The tradition is to add ingredients for the salad individually, accompanied by auspicious sayings, after which diners mix (lo) the salad with chopsticks while calling out the same greetings as wishes for the coming year. The higher the salad is raised (hei), the better the luck for the coming year.

If you can't remember too many greetings, don't worry - a simple 'x nian kuai le' or 'happy new year in the year of x' is quite appropriate. The whole idea is to start off the year right, and it's traditional to hope for fortune, prosperity and success. 万事如意 (wan shi ru yi), 'may all things be as you wish'!

A version of this post first appeared in a sister blog, WorkSmartSG, which is no longer updated.

*Raw freshwater fish is no longer served in Singapore yushengs as of 2016 because of the danger of group B streptococcus infections. The protein is replaced with raw salmon, abalone or top shell.

Ohm's prosperity bead is only available in Asia with a purchase

Source: Beads Actually website. The Blessed with Wealth bead.

Ohm Beads has a limited edition bead for Chinese new year named Blessed with Wealth that will only be available as a gift with purchase at Ohm Thailand, Singapore-based Beads Actually, and Ohm Taiwan.

Beads Actually is offering the bead as a free gift with a purchase of S$228 worth of Ohm products. The bead is not available separately for sale, and the promotion will last till 14 February, 2016.

The bead says 福 'prosperity' on one side, and 财, 'wealth' on the other.

Interested?

View the associated video on Facebook

Browse the Ohm Beads for the Year of the Monkey (2016), Year of the Goat (2015), and Year of the Horse (2014)

Hashtags: #OhmBeads #blessedwithwealth

Singtel celebrates Lunar New Year with free unlimited mobile data and Singtel TV previews

Source: Singtel.

Singtel is ushering in the Year of the Monkey with a festive treats for customers. All Singtel postpaid customers will enjoy two days of free unlimited mobile data from 12am on 7 February to 11:59pm on 8 February while Singtel TV customers will be treated to free previews of more than 150 channels from 12am on 5 February to 11:59pm on 14 February.

Yuen Kuan Moon, CEO, Consumer Singapore, Singtel, said, “We are delighted to present our customers with complimentary services that they can enjoy with their family and friends over this auspicious season. The free TV viewing and mobile data will provide hours of quality family entertainment as they celebrate the festive period. We thank them for their continuous support and wish them a happy and prosperous Lunar New Year.”

Interested?

Read more about the promotion

LINE offers limited edition stickers for Chinese new year

LINE, the lifestyle platform, is ushering in a prosperous Lunar New Year by releasing its first-ever limited edition animated sticker set for Chinese New Year on February 2, 2016.

With 2016 being the Year of the Monkey, the festive stickers are inspired by the popular Chinese classic Journey to the West. The set comprises eight stickers, playing on the auspicious number that is widely known for its similarity to the Mandarin word fa (发), which means wealth or fortune.

The stickers feature popular LINE Friends characters, including Brown, Cony, Moon and James, decked out in clothing from the Journey to the West period, as well as local landmark the Singapore Flyer and popular well-wishes heard locally, such as “huat ah!” (may you prosper).

Interested?

The LINE app is available on the App Store and Google Play store. Do a search on the LINE app for “Chinese New Year” for the stickers to download them from February 2 to March 2 2016. The stickers can be used for 90 days from the date of download.  

Online browsing on the upswing before Chinese new year: Criteo

The window display at Shanghai Tang, Raffles City, Singapore, ahead of the year of the monkey on February 8, 2016.

· Criteo data reveals that e-commerce transactions spiked by 40% two weeks before Chinese New Year in 2015, and three in 10 of the transactions were completed on a mobile device.

· More than 45% of online transactions in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, India and Taiwan are now happening on mobile

· Mobile optimisation, a ‘click-and-brick’ approach to consumer engagement and instant delivery services key to improving sales before, during and after Chinese New Year in 2016

Criteo, the performance marketing technology company, has released seasonal data in anticipation of Chinese New Year, to help e-commerce businesses better engage consumers during the festive season. The company’s deep dive into consumer browsing and buying activity revealed that in the two weeks leading up to Chinese New Year, consumers browsed retail products more actively than before – a 25% increase in items added to shopping carts.

The results also showed a 40% increase in e-commerce sales during the same period, of which, three in 10 transactions were completed on a mobile device. For companies focused on attracting and retaining consumers during this time period, Criteo advises that online advertising campaigns should be fully optimised across desktops, laptops and mobile devices.

The findings are based on an analysis of 174 million online transactions in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam before, during and after Chinese New Year in 2015.

“Due to the traditional practice of wearing new clothes to symbolise a new beginning, consumers are doing a tremendous amount of online shopping two weeks before Chinese New Year. Based on 2015 data, sales on mobile, in particular, have also hit record numbers. This spending period presents retail companies with a huge opportunity to engage consumers through personalised and relevant online advertising,” said Yuko Saito, Managing Director, Criteo Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, India and Taiwan.

In its eCommerce Industry Outlook 2016, Criteo shares three additional trends that will impact Asian shoppers during the Chinese New Year season:

Smartphone shopping will continue to gain ground

Smartphones are the first point of Internet access or brand interaction for many consumers and are therefore playing a key role in driving e-commerce growth. In Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, India and Taiwan, on aggregate, more than 45% of online transactions are now happening on mobile, compared to 29% in the second quarter of 2015. Indonesia was the highest at 56%, followed by Singapore at 45%.

Retailers will see a high web influence on their in-store sales

With the majority of consumers now researching online before or while visiting a store, understanding a shopper’s online activity is vital. According to Google, eight out of 10 shoppers with a smartphone are using it inside the store to help them with product research and price comparisons, with most of them eventually completing a transaction at the physical point of sale (POS). Retailers can acquire a better view of the customer’s shopping journey by connecting with them via branded apps or beacon technology, before matching each customer’s email ID with loyalty programmes at in-store POS terminals.

Instant delivery services will become common

Order fulfilment will be a big focus for retailers in 2016, with many offering delivery options to match Amazon’s Prime Now service. Prime Now, a service via mobile app that is available to Amazon Prime members, offers free delivery within two hours in selected areas, seven days a week. Both online and “click-and-brick” retailers will be trying this strategy through specialised third-party e-commerce logistics providers. Faster delivery at lower charges will also drive growth of cross-border shopping as consumers will not mind buying from other countries to save money.

“During special occasions like Chinese New Year, we observe instances of intensive, last-minute shopping, where consumers take less time to consider a purchase and require products to be delivered on short notice for personal use or gift-giving. Taking a three pronged approach – engaging consumers on the mobile web or on mobile apps, leveraging consumers’ web browsing data to deliver personalised in-store and mobile shopping experiences, and investing in instant delivery services will be crucial to increasing sales conversions,” said Saito.

Interested?

Read more about Criteo’s Seven Big eCommerce Trends for 2016

Read the TechTrade Asia blog post about Criteo's State of Mobile Commerce report for Q315

Book with ONYX to enjoy discounts in February

Source: Onyx web page. 

Selected ONYX Hospitality Group properties have promotions on during the Chinese new year period.

To help ring in the Year of the Monkey, guests can choose to stay at the Oriental Residence Bangkok or one of the 25 participating Amari, OZO, Shama and Mosaic Collection properties in Thailand, Sri Lanka, mainland China, Hong Kong, Qatar and Bangladesh at up to 20% discount.

Interested?

To enjoy these deals, enter the promotion code CNY2016 when making a reservation at participating hotels. Bookings are open from now until 28 February 2016, for stays from 1 to 29 February 2016. Learn more about the participating hotels or make a reservation

posted from Bloggeroid

POSB expands number of locations where new notes can be collected

Source: POSB eDM.

From February 2 DBS and POSB customers in Singapore can obtain the new notes for Chinese new year in more locations. New notes are considered de rigeur as cash gifts during the new year, placed in red packets (ang pows or lai see) and given to children for luck during the festive period. The heads of some businesses may also distribute such gifts on the first day back to work after the new year holiday.

New notes will be available* at these locations:

1. All SingPost post offices

Exchange amount	Combination
S$500#	S$2 x 100 notes + S$10 x 30 notes (new)
S$1,000	S$10 x 50 notes + S$50 x 10 notes (new)

A DBS or POSB ATM or debit card is required. Post offices can be located here.

2. Pop-up ATMs at Community Clubs (CCs)

Withdrawal amount	Combination
S$100	S$2 x 50 notes (good-as-new)
S$300	S$10 x 30 notes (new)
S$500	S$50 x 10 notes (new)
S$1,000	S$50 x 16 notes + S$10 x 20 notes (new)

The pop-up ATMs will be at:

1. Bukit Batok CC, 21 Bukit Batok Central, S659959
2. Chong Pang CC, 21 Yishun Ring Road, S768677
3. Henderson CC, 500 Bukit Merah View, S159682
4. Kreta Ayer CC, 28A Kreta Ayer Road, S088995
5. Kampong Chai Chee CC, 200 Bedok North Ave 1, S469752
6. Mountbatten CC, 35 Jalan Satu, S399479
7. Teck Ghee CC, 861 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, S569734
8. Toa Payoh West CC, 200 Lorong 2 Toa Payoh, S319642
9. Yew Tee CC, 20 Choa Chua Kang Street 52 #01-01, S689286
10. Yuhua CC, 90 Boon Lay Way, S609958

For more information on operating hours, visit www.posb.com.sg/cnynotes

*While stocks last.
#Exchange amount of S$500 is limited to a maximum of three packs per customer.

What to say for Chinese new year

You can't miss the festive feeling in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong or Singapore this time of year. Lucky red and gold objects are on sale everywhere. Chinese new year falls on February 19 in 2015, and you'll be greeting or greeted in auspicious language from the first day till the 15th of the lunar new year. 

The most common greetings you'll hear are 新年快乐 (xin nian kuai le), 'happy new year' and 恭喜发财 (gong xi fa cai), 'congratulations on receiving riches and prosperity'. 

Riches a recurrent theme in Chinese culture, especially around Chinese new year. Fortune-related greetings for businesses include 财源广进  (cai yuan guang jin), or 'may riches enter in huge volumes', and 生意興隆/生意兴隆 (sheng yi xing long), or 'may the business thrive greatly'. 年年有餘/年年有馀 (nian nian you yu), 'surpluses every year', as well as 马到成功 (ma dao cheng gong), 'instant success', are spot on both for businesses and individuals.

马到成功 was especially apt in 2014, the lunar year of the horse, as the character for horse, 马, begins the greeting, but it can be used at any other time as well. There were also a number of puns on 'immediately', 马上 (ma shang), which can also be taken to be 'on the horse'; many shops were selling horse figurines with money and other things on a horse as a wish for immediate fortune.

Advertisement from Kallang Wave
featuring 喜气羊羊 as a greeting.

2015 is the year of the goat (or sheep), and there are a few festive greetings that take advantage of how the word for goat, 羊 (yang), is a homonym found in various Chinese idioms. 阳光灿烂 (yang guang can lan) is a wish for bright sunlight or a bright future; 喜气洋洋, converted to 喜气羊羊 (xi qi yang yang) for the year, refers to happiness everywhere; while 羊羊得意, really 洋洋得意 (yang yang de yi), is a wish that the recipient will get whatever he or she wants, in the best way possible.

There are business-oriented greetings which mention the specific zodiac animal, such as 羊年大吉 (yang nian da ji), 'great fortune in the year of the goat', and 羊年行大运 (yang nian da yun), 'great luck in the year of the goat'. 羊年发财 (yang nian fa cai), 'welcome fortune in the year of the goat' is equally auspicious. Just substitute the underlined character with the appropriate animal for other years. 

Beyond these traditional greetings are some which are more relevant to those working. 新年进步 (xin nian jin bu), which means 'making progress in the new year', 心想事成 (xin xiang shi cheng), 'may your wishes come true', and the simple 工作顺利 (gong zuo shun li), 'may your work go smoothly', will all be well received. 事业有成 (shi ye you cheng) 'success in what you're working on' and 平步青云 (ping bu qing yun), 'an easy path to a meteoric rise' are equally auspicious.

If you can't remember too many greetings, don't worry - a simple 'happy new year' is fine. The whole idea is to start off the year right, and it's traditional to hope for fortune, prosperity and success. Don't mention anything negative, and you'll be fine. 万事如意 (wan shi ru yi), 'may all things be as you wish'!

Shisen Hanten is all ready for the Year of the Goat

Source: Mandarin Orchard Singapore's Chinese new year takeaway order form. 

Shisen Hanten at the Mandarin Orchard Singapore has prepared a wide array of Chinese New Year delicacies and festive goodies from 26 January to 5 March 2015. 

Ten set menus that are themed around good luck have been drawn up this auspicious season, designed to help usher in a year filled with prosperity, fortune, success and wealth. Favourites in the menus include steamed sea perch fillet, and stirfried clam and prawn in XO sauce.

Diners can feast on traditional Cantonese favourites in addition to seasonal treats such as the classic “lo hei,” (yu sheng) for which ingredients must be tossed as high as possible to attain greater heights and fortune for the year. 

Shisen Hanten's take on the lo hei includes salmon and olives. The Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng topped with Plum Sauce with Olive and Spring Onion Oil boasts a harmony of flavours and offers good luck with every toss. 

Alternatively, the Baby Abalone Fortune Pot is ideal for small groups, and includes 20 treasures, including dried oyster and fish maw, to start the year of the goat off right.

Festive goodies such as Hokkaido pumpkin cake (S$38), golden ingot pineapple tart (eight pieces for S$38.80), and koi fish nian gao (a pair for S$48) provide a prosperous end to meals, and are excellent for gifting, too. Other gifts which can be preordered include honeyed walnuts, steamed rice cake with water chestnut and Shisen Hanten's very own mala sauce.

Helmed by celebrity Chef Chen Kentaro, Shisen Hanten is situated 35 floors above Orchard Road and offers breathtaking views. Reservations can be made by calling +65 6831 6262 or 6831 6266, or through emailing shisenhanten.orchard@meritushotels.com. The service charge is waived for all yu sheng and pen cai takeaway orders.