home: hōm

noun

The place where one lives permanently, esp. as a member of a family or household.

adjective

Of or relating to the place where one lives: “your home address”.

adverb

To the place where one lives: “what time did he get home last night?”.

verb
(of an animal) Return by instinct to its territory after leaving it: “geese homing to their summer nesting grounds”.

Reunion night dinner at home

Chinese New Year for my family has the same importance as Christmas or Thanksgiving in Western families – it’s the one time in the year where we are meant to get together, eat and catch up. Last year, we celebrated Chinese New Year at home in Malaysia – this year, I flew over to Perth to spend Chinese New Year with my family instead, a surprise for my parents.

The reunion dinner, held on the night before the new year, is when we all gather around, as a family, at home. The dishes we eat, like lou sang, noodles, prawns, fish, all have a special significance and symbolise advancement, long life, laughter, and prosperity for the upcoming year.

Home for me is most vividly represented by these dishes, and the gathering on reunion night to share in the feast – because home is family.

This post is part of the Weekly Photo Challenge at the Daily Post.