Submitted by Rebecca Beswick on the 2022 spring semester exchange program with the National University of Singapore…
In 2022,Chinese New Year Eve was on January 31st and the New Year was celebrated on February 1st and into February 2nd. In Singapore, where the majority of the population is of Chinese descent, the ramp up to the holiday is extravagant, and similar to the scale of that of Christmas in the United States. There was advertising for CNY deals and decorations in public spaces since the beginning of January. The University was given two days off for the holiday, and all students who lived locally went home to celebrate. On the eve, most things were closed, but the days after everyone was out and enjoying their days off. Public transportation and many of the malls were very busy. Because Covid-19 is taken very seriously in Singapore, there were no large celebrations which would bring gatherings in Chinatown, but there were televised events and Chinatown was decorated.
