Gong Xi Fa Cai! I'm wishing you the prosperity in this year of snake.

Yesterday was Chinese New Year. As an Indonesian, I think I'm the one of few people who have much celebrations of CNY. Because what? Because I live with my Grandma who is the oldest among my big family. So, my house becomes such a base camp during CNY. All my families gather here. Lotsa things to do for CNY. Beside that, nowadays there's only a few Chinese who still do pray traditionally, arrange the altar, and something like that. But we do.....or I mean Grandma does. Well, I have lost the excitement of praying like that since I was a teen, maybe.

In my house, we usually have rituals to do, such as praying, having dinner, gathering, and of course kiong-hi kiong-hi asking for angpaos  (for this I never lose my excitement). It's lucky to be unmarried. I kinda imagine it when I'm married one day, maybe CNY won't be as exciting as what it be now. Cos giving has less excitement than receiving. True?! Be honest, it must be true.

February 9th, at noon, Grandma prepared the altar; cooked the dishes, arranged it, lighted hio, and prayed. 

I like the smell of burned hio, kinda mystical in such a cool way. It's like smelling the scent, and then you know the exclusive figure and image which that smell brings to you.

Talking about smell, this flowers cannot be absent during CNY in my house. It's sedap malam or tubroses. Evening comes, and my house will smell soooo nice. That's why it's called sedap malam. These flowers only produce nice smell during the night. Sedap at malam hari. And this smell fills all parts of my house, even till now.

In the evening, family members started to come. Kids will be ordered to take a shower. After the shower, it will be the first time wearing new pajamas that were bought for CNY's eve.

This is my new pajama. It's red! No surprise.

Love the details. A little Chinese Girl in gold holding lampion and sakura and Chinese writings (what does that mean?).

Immediately after the family members had arrived, CNY's eve dinner was started. All the dishes were cooked by Grandma. The menu is always same every year. Some dishes are cooked only once a year. So how it cannot be enjoyed?! Special CNY menu! I even hadn't had a meal since the morning for this. Wtf?!

Asinan Jawa, fried chicken, fried chicken balls, bamboo sprout, seafood, noodles, meatballs, pork,some Chinese dishes which I don't know how to write. No reason to be not full.

CNY's eve dinner is always become time for chit-chatting among the family, till late night. Even kids will stay awake too. However, this year was not as noisy as years before. 12 o'clock, the house had been quiet already. All went home. But the next day, noise filled house again, even louder than the dinner time.

The first day in snake year, more people came to house. We celebrated it by saying kiong-hi to the elders and older people, and getting angpaos in return. The best part of CNY is here!!! Yes, I'm talking about angpaos.

But, angpao is not a main one,.....err~ indeed is a main one, but I mean there're also lotsa excitements on CNY. Gathering with cousins, chatting with them, and eating many many cakes and meal which are only there during CNY. Such a joy!

By the way, this is my big family.

Sometimes, there was too crowded at house, so we, kids (yes, I am kid) would be chilling out at other part of house. 

Or, maybe busy camwhoring...like I did.

Oo (what I call my aunty) wanna join too.

Oh ya, I forgot. Our house was also be visited by special guest who faithfully had come every CNY for two years.

It's Molly! Little pom that lives with Oo.

Isn't she so cute.....and small?! Compare her face to my hand. And yaa I've just realized she comes every CNY, last year and this year.

Okay, back to CNY celebration. After that huge family gathering at house, we went to mall, like typical Jakarta's citizens do on holiday. I had a feeling that Mall Taman Anggrek and Central Park Mall would be so crowded, so REMOVED them from the list. We decided to head to Grand Indonesia. Not so crowded there.

This is my face of the day. 

I wore Princess Mimi Almond lens, and fake upper lashes, and eyeliner, but no eyeshadow. Lips, I used lip concealer and reddish orange lipstick, and created gradation. For cheeks, I used my new Holika Holika red blush on. I wore it right below my eyes, upper than usual, inspired by Harajuku Kawaii girls. It cannot be seen clearly in pic. Actually, I wanted my blush on very red one, but sisters and mom said 'stop, it's too red'. Maybe next time, I'm gonna try the real harajuku red blusher.

Next, outfit of the day. I named it Hello Kitty Rocks!

I combined Hello Kitty top with rame legging, and wore flat ankle boots. It must be red, because it's CNY. Haram for not wearing red. LOLOL!

Accessories. I was wearing spikey candies color bracelet and a random dolphin-peace sign-heart bracelet.

What next is series of pic taken at Grand Indonesia. Embrace yourself....err~ no, but Enjoy.

And the failed ones. I was trying to snap a picture of my whole body at big mirror at one of the store. Snap! But oopss, blur. And Oo was behind me.

Okay, try again. Snap! Ugghh...Nia stepped in.

FAIL!

Our Chatime Milk Tea pics. As the typical mall visitors, took a rest and relaxed while drinking Chatime.

My dinner on that day: big portion of I Fu Mie.

Such happy days I had. I hope you all had the same happiness. Also I wish for another big happiness a year ahead. Hope this snake brings such a good thing.

By the way, how many angpaos did you get?