This year, being so far away from home, we had our reunion dinner in the US. We also had a guest, Yuen Leng, my NUS colleague who has been in PennState the past 5 years and will be completing her PhD soon. Below is a slide show of what we had for the simple reunion dinner prepared by my wife.
For the Chinese, the reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year is a huge thing - very much like the "Thanksgiving" meal for the American families. Members of the family would travel home and gather for an annual feast. Growing up, I remember my mom making a big fuss over the meal; often, making the preparations weeks ahead. For example, she would start soaking the "sea cucumber" weeks in advance. Nowadays, as we get busier as a society, some families have decided to hold their reunion dinner in a restaurant, which I find less personal.
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Recollection: Ever since my migration to S'pore in 1984, my mom would always make a big fuss when I return to my hometown (K.L.). She would constantly ask what I would like to eat, and in particular, how I want the prawns to be cooked? Somehow, she seems to remember what I have long forgotten, that prawns was one of my favorite dishes when I was younger. After a while, the constant fussing can get to you and I would reply, "any style would do, I will eat anything you cook. I have grown up. I am no longer fussy about food!". But then, I realized that it was my mom's way of communicating and expressing her love and care. And I find this generally true of the older Chinese folks, they rarely express their love in words, but through their actions, and in the case of my mom, through her wok. Hence, I learn the best way to appreciate her would be to gobble down the food she has prepared.
