Getting married can be such a tiring and confusing time in multi-cultural Singapore. B and I are both atheists but he comes from a family of devoted Christians and mine is as traditional as can be. So having to reconcile the practices is a challenge. Especially when our generation is pretty clueless about all these traditions, much less understand them.
So it's worth knowing that:
1. It's a Teochew tradition for the groom's parents to give "si dian jin" - or four pieces of jewellery - to the bride. The Hokkiens only give 1 piece (not so "hiao" I guess?).
2. It's a Cantonese tradition to give a suckling pig on the wedding day (not for me. Yay!).
3. In the past, the bride doesn't bring anything old to the bridal home, so she makes new sets of clothes for her new life as a wife. Good reason to go shopping, shopping and more shopping! Me want to keep this tradition.
4. New lamps are bought for the matrimonial room because"thiam deng" sounds like having sons in Hokkien. More grandsons to continue the family name. Hmm.... like that must buy oil lamps, right? Otherwise, what's there to "thiam"?
5. The couple also needs to buy a new basin (for bathing any future baby - ok...); spittoon (think we can do away with this tradition. We've got attached bathrooms nowadays!); clogs (same as preceding. No need to go outhouse.).
6. A new teaset is also necessary for the tea ceremony, although I recall something about it being symbolic of having grandchildren... (how many grandchildren you want?).
That's about all I can handle for now.
So it's worth knowing that:
1. It's a Teochew tradition for the groom's parents to give "si dian jin" - or four pieces of jewellery - to the bride. The Hokkiens only give 1 piece (not so "hiao" I guess?).
2. It's a Cantonese tradition to give a suckling pig on the wedding day (not for me. Yay!).
3. In the past, the bride doesn't bring anything old to the bridal home, so she makes new sets of clothes for her new life as a wife. Good reason to go shopping, shopping and more shopping! Me want to keep this tradition.
4. New lamps are bought for the matrimonial room because"thiam deng" sounds like having sons in Hokkien. More grandsons to continue the family name. Hmm.... like that must buy oil lamps, right? Otherwise, what's there to "thiam"?
5. The couple also needs to buy a new basin (for bathing any future baby - ok...); spittoon (think we can do away with this tradition. We've got attached bathrooms nowadays!); clogs (same as preceding. No need to go outhouse.).
6. A new teaset is also necessary for the tea ceremony, although I recall something about it being symbolic of having grandchildren... (how many grandchildren you want?).
That's about all I can handle for now.
8 comments:
shopping part is good but who pays?
haha... good question. I think it's the bride. :P but still..
you mean got more to add to list?
Sin Lady - this is just the beginning. :P
haha.. i still have the baby's bath tub and clogs.
if this makes u feel better, my dad wanted S to bring over a RAW pig's leg on the wedding day. we got away with a suckling pig instead altho that's not hokkien. my friend pointed out later that the pig symbolizes virginity, and the cooked piglet might mean that im a "fried" virgin. hahaha...
edpjunkie - my mom DIDN'T want the suckling pig. she said just bring the canned pig trotters will do. Would that make me a "canned" virgin? Lol...
Happy preparations! It's the most maddening part of a wedding, if you ask me. EVERYBODY and their neighbour's third cousin's daughter's boyfriend's aunty's dog wants to have a say :)
But it's all part of the fun I guess :D
Simone - It's been very "fun". Lol....
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