Family Reunion Dinners

After my younger brother Tak Vui came back to KK from KL in July 2024 and later on decided to relocate back to KK, he initiated a family reunion dinner in conjunction withe the Mid-Autumn or Moon Cake Festival. This reunion dinner was attended by seven members.

The most recent family reunion dinner on 17.09.2024 (Lunar 15 August) was attended by seven mebers.

As far as I can remember, family reunion dinners were held in major Chinese festivals every year. Of our past family tradition, at least five family meals at my parents' home were organized each year in conjunction with five annual events. They are:

• The CNY Eve.
• Yuanxiaojie or Chap Goh Mei (Lunar 15 January) signifying the end of CNY.
• Zhongzi Festival or Dragon Boat Festival (Lunar 5 May).
• Mid-Autumn or Moon Cake Festival (Lunar 15 August).
• Winter Solstice (Dongzhi Festival) either on 21 or 22 December.

Practically in all the family reunion dinners, three dishes are always served : Yong Tau Foo (釀豆腐), Pork Belly with Taro  (芋頭扣肉) and steamed chicken (白斬雞).

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CNY Eve Reunion Dinner held earlier this year on 09.02.2024 was joined by Paul and Junshi who came back for a short CNY holidays.

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Before some of the old photos taken during these past reunion dinners are misplaced or lost, I think it would be good to keep them in blog for record.

2023

Because of mobility problem of my older brother Tet Fui, CNY Eve 2023 reunion dinner was held instead at his home in Taman Layang-layang on 21.01.2023. That was also the last dinner my brother joined with the rest of the family members for a family meal. It was a very sumptuous meal!

Two weeks later on 05.02.2023 (Lunar 15.01.2023), we had another family meal in conjunction with Yuanxiaojie or Chap Goh Mei in Hokkiens. The crowd was significantly smaller. Only six members attended.

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2022

My niece, Easter, the eldest daughter of my youngest brother Teck Yin was still in KK and she was able to join in the CNY Eve Reunion Dinner on 31.01.2022. She later left KK and moved to work in West Malaysia. Only six members attended the dinner that evening.

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2021

Covid 19 pandemic struck in 2021 soon after we returned from a cruise holiday to South America. No family reunion dinner was held in that year.

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2020

The CNY Eve Reunion Dinner on 24.01.2020 was attended by all the siblings except Tak Vui and his wife Kui Moi. My older brother Tet Fui was still mobile and was able to come for the meal together with his wife, Lisa, his son Ah Ted and his DIL, Winnie.

The end of the CNY for year 2020 was celebrated with Chap Goh Mei Family Reunion Dinner on 08.02.2020.

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2019

Unlike previous years, many family members from overseas came back for the CNY in 2019. Paul & Junshi from Singapore, Caleb and family from KL, Calvin and Stephenie from KL and Cathy from the US. In view of the huge crowd, CNY Eve Family Reunion Dinner on 05.02.2019 was held at my home.

Taking advantage of the presence of the overseas returnees, we took many photos of that reunion (Read here).

All the overseas returnees had left by the time of the hosting of the Chap Goh Mei Family Dinner. My niece, Erica, the second daughter of Tet Yin was still in KK and she was an attendee of the Chap Goh Mei Family Dinner held on 19.02.2019. Later on, she left for UK to study music.

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2018

In addition to celebrating Winter Solstice (Dongzhi Festival), my sister also celebrated her 55th birthday during the family reunion dinner on 22.12.2018.

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2016

Cathy was back for holidays from the States. A pre-Mid Autumn Family Reunion Dinner was held on Sunday evening on 05.09.2016. The actual day of Moon Cake Festival is 15.09.2016. A separate smaller table was needed to accommodate the bigger crowd!

Cathy and Erica had a joint birthday celebration after the meal.

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Family meals are also organized for special events. When Cathy, the daughter of my brother Tak Vui came back from USA with her husband-to-be in May 2022, a family dinner was held at Kampung Nelayan Floating Seafood Market Restaurant 0n 30.05.2022. My older brother was unable to attend and the family was represented by Lisa and her son Ah Ted.

When Erica and her husband Dan came from for holidays from UK in July this year, my brother Tet Yin too organized a family dinner at a local restaurant (Read here).

Earlier in March this year when my son Samuel and his family came back from Singapore for holidays, we too organized a family dinner at a local restaurant, Hee Yan Restaurant in Taman Sri Kapayan (Read here).