In the north (Penang & Kedah), "kueh kapit", a delicately thin cookie folded in quarters, also known as 'love letters' is a must on CNY. When I moved to Johor, visitors to my CNY open house would bring oranges (ie. tangerine from China). We, not knowing the local custom, were happy to receive it and kept them. It was some time before we found out that we were suppose to give oranges back (not necessarily the same ones) to them as they leave as a symbol of giving them wealth & luck. Our visitors must have thought us rude... sorry.. Oranges are called 'kum' in most Chinese dialects and sound like the word 'gold'.
Another 'new' custom we learned was the "Loh Sang" of the "Yee Sang". We never had it in the north.
Nowadays, this dish is becoming very popular, probably due to 2 factors : a money-spinner (the ingredients are mainly veggie - fresh & pickled but restaurants charge a bomb as it's a once a year treat. RM30-40 per dish) and it's a social thing - a convenient reason to gather around for some annual catching-up & celebration.
Yee Sang is a mostly veggie dish, except for the
slivers of raw fish & blanched jellyfish strips or pacific clams. At reunion dinners or gatherings within the 15-day CNY celebration, people would stand around a plate of yee sang & use their chopsticks to mix the ingredients, pulling & tossing it as high as possible, shouting hopes of health & prosperity.
There are prayers for ancestors on the day (lunch time) before CNY which usually consists of fruits & CNY sweets; red candles & joss sticks. However, the Hokkiens, are more particular. We have to cook 7 bowls of traditional delicacies & 'sin-lay' (offering) of cooked, whole (with feet & head intact) chicken, duck & roast pig. Other dishes can be added but served on plates instead. Bowls of rice, complete with appropriate cutlery, tea & wine cups are laid out around the table for our 'heavenly' guests.
On the day before this feast, mom would pray with joss sticks to 'invite' these guests. On the day, how do we know if the 'guests' have arrived? Mom will pray & drop 2 large (50 sen) coins. If the coin face shows one head & one tail, it means 'yes', they are here. Each member of the household will pray & burn joss sticks to 'welcome' them. After an hour or so, mom will check by tossing the coins again. One head, one tail again signifies 'yes', we are done & going back. Prayer paper money are burnt to offer 'them' some farewell 'presents'.
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