January 26th augurs the Year of the Ox for the Chinese. It is another festive occasion right at the heels of Christmas and the Gregorian calendar New Year.

In a few days from now, I shall be driving 400 kilometers to the Capital city Kuala Lumpur for the family reunion event on the eve of Chinese New Year. This year it is not going to be held at the residence of the patriarch of my wife’s family in Penang. It is located another 400 kilometers further to the North.

Chinese New Year celebration is a very noisy affair. Noisy and loud. More so with the family of my in-laws who total 10 siblings. I would call that a tribe. Then you have to add all their children and children’s children.

One peculiar thing that I noticed during the reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year. At the dinner table, dinner is first served to the elders. I am included in that seating. The children get to eat only when an elder vacates his seat. Maybe this is peculiar to just my in-laws and is not the usual practice, I am uncertain.

I am a teetotaller and therefore always have a problem with my father-in-law. He insists that I drink a peg of Brandy with him. The problem is that even after accepting his offer begrudgingly, sipping it extra slowly, he will insist to top it up with another serve.

Over the years at this family reunion celebration, I found a way to solve the Brandy problem. Right after I am given a peg of Brandy, I gently excuse myself from the dinner table, grab my glass of Brandy and leave it at some inconspicuous corner of the house. Hahaha.

That’s not over yet. Next I find an empty glass and fill it with Chinese Tea, (which is always available in the house) throw in a couple of ice cubes and ~ tadaaa, I’m in with the crowd of Brandy elated drinkers.

Being away from home during the Chinese New Year would mean that I will have to bring along my laptop and find time and Internet connection when I am in Kuala Lumpur.

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