Celebrating a holiday is never really complete without the presence of loved ones, and festive periods are also times of reunion when those who are far away will return.
In Chinese society, the eve of Chinese New Year is traditionally celebrated with prayers to ancestors and eating a big meal with immediate family members.
However, it's different for this Year of the Ox as the Chinese community takes its turn to celebrate a festival with new norms and having to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the authorities.
In many cases, children who are far away are unable to "balik kampung" (return to one's hometown) and this leaves grandparents longing for their grandchildren, with the laughter of loved ones only to be heard from a distance.
A survey by Malaysiakini in several locations in Kelantan found that the Chinese New Year celebrations were indeed subdued with no big dinners at leading hotels and restaurants and no yee sang events.
For Chan Soon Seng, 58, this year's big dinner was "just" in the company of his wife Lam Yoke Fong, 57, as their three children were unable to return to their hometown in Guchil, Kuala Krai.
He said in the past years they celebrated Chinese New Year as happily and as vibrantly as other races and faiths would with their festivals.
"This time it feels very sad too, this is the first time to eat this important meal without my children and other family members. It feels a bit lonely.
"My first child works in Cameron Highlands, my second is in Terengganu and the youngest works in Kuala Lumpur.
"All of them can't come home so the celebration was just to have a big meal apart this year," he told Malaysiakini yesterday.
Chan added that what is more important now is for the whole community to focus on efforts to curb the Covid-19 pandemic and hopefully it will be fully under control soon.
"My hope for the new year is that Covid-19 will no longer be so powerful and widespread and that we can all return to our lives in harmony and happiness," said Chan, who is a trader.
Meanwhile, in Wakaf Bharu, Tumpat, Pui Tiong Lam and his family also held a big but modest dinner.
In previous years, the annual event took place at a hotel, but this time the 56-year-old said they would only continue the tradition at home.
"My three children could not come home. One lives in Pasir Mas, the second child works in Kuala Lumpur and the youngest is studying in Bintulu, Sarawak.
"So today my wife only prepared steamboat dishes as a big meal and we are also in the company of my brother," he said when met in Kampung Kulim, yesterday.
Pui added that the Covid-19 pandemic, which has not subsided in terms of new cases and fatalities, has affected their feelings and enthusiasm in ushering in the Year of the Ox.
"There is not much to do. We just prepared a little by buying food and beverage supplies. New clothes were not bought this year. Angpow was also given online.
"While having the reunion dinner, I took the opportunity to video call my children who could not come back. I could show them what their mother cooked and see how they were doing," he said.
Meanwhile, Evone Lim, 60, chose to enjoy the Chinese New Year by taking the opportunity to have dinner at her aunt's house in Kota Bharu.
It is because her three children are in Australia, Singapore and Sarawak and cannot return home to celebrate.
"My aunt invited me and my husband to have a big meal at her house, so we were very pleased. Otherwise, we would have had a reunion dinner with a quiet atmosphere without our children here.
"Yes, I hope this situation recovers soon and we can all be free from the Covid-19 pandemic," she added. - Mkini
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