http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,191019,00.html?
Waiting, selling, selling, sold out
Prices didn't fall after midnight on CNY, so Chinatown shoppers played the waiting game
By Ng Wan Ching
January 28, 2009
BUY, BUY: Some Chinatown sellers didn't immediately lower the prices of their goods after midnight, but when they eventually did, the Chinese New Year goodies went fast.
AT THE stroke of midnight, which ushered in the Year of the Ox, there was much anticipation in Chinatown that prices for Chinese New Year goodies will drop.
Traditionally, that is usually what happens.
But the sellers in Chinatown this year hung on to their prices way after midnight, even as irate shoppers scolded them for 'not knowing how to do business'.
Even at 1.30am yesterday, the crowds were still very thick, and police were everywhere directing traffic.
One woman who hustled her way through the throngs, busily checking out pussy willows on sale, even bossily corralled this reporter into her search for a bargain.
I too was looking, but in a more leisurely fashion, and it did not matter if I didn't get any bargains.
But the lady persisted.
'Me and her, we take four bunches of pussy willows for $8 each,' she told the man selling the plants on behalf of his boss.
'Cannot. $11 each,' he said flatly.
She tried again: 'Your pussy willows are so tall, I would have to cut them. Otherwise, how to fit into my Mercedes-Benz?'
'I cut for you, no charge for cutting,' said the man.
'So $8 each and you cut for us,' said the woman.
'No, cannot,' said the man.
LITTLE NONYAS, BIG FANS: Ten little and not-so-little Nonyas from the Lee and Ang families celebrating Chinese New Year with a nod to a favourite local TV show, The Little Nyonya. TNP PICTURES: MOHD ISHAK
'Haiyah, it's already 1am, you don't know how to do business,' she said and stalked off.
Elsewhere in Chinatown, vendors were pulling out boxes upon boxes of Chinese New Year goodies like love letters and hawking them at the top of their voices.
They wanted $6 per box.
There were no takers.
Everyone was still waiting for the price to drop.
Eventually the prices did, as they usually do.
For after the new year, the demand for all things Chinese New Year will plummet like recent property prices.
At 3.30am, pussy willows were going for as cheap as $3 a bunch for any takers still in the fray.
And the excitement was not only in Chinatown.
Over at the Floating Platform, the annual River Hongbao took on a different venue and perhaps a more muted response because of that.
And Singapore welcomed two little Ox babies, both born at the stroke of midnight.
Matthew Loo was born at the Thomson Medical Centre and for being first in line, his family received a $398 Risis gold-plated ox.
He also received S$8,888 cash - which will, however, have to be shared with another midnight baby born at Mount Alvernia Hospital - baby girl Tan Jing Xuan.
The money will be placed in an investment fund, managed by HSBC, with the capital and accumulated interest going to both recipients when they turn 18.
On the first day of the Chinese New Year, after all the goodies have been bought and one can start celebrating, one family here thought of a novel way of doing so.
The Ang and the Lee families in Hougang decided that all the women would dress up as Nonyas.
So 10 of them did.
'This is due to the popularity of the show (The Little Nyonya) and also to celebrate the new year. The one who thought of it was a real fan of The Little Nyonya ,' said Mr Edmund Sng, a cousin-in-law of the women, referring to MediaCorp's hit drama serial.
Waiting, selling, selling, sold out
Prices didn't fall after midnight on CNY, so Chinatown shoppers played the waiting game
By Ng Wan Ching
January 28, 2009
BUY, BUY: Some Chinatown sellers didn't immediately lower the prices of their goods after midnight, but when they eventually did, the Chinese New Year goodies went fast.
AT THE stroke of midnight, which ushered in the Year of the Ox, there was much anticipation in Chinatown that prices for Chinese New Year goodies will drop.
Traditionally, that is usually what happens.
But the sellers in Chinatown this year hung on to their prices way after midnight, even as irate shoppers scolded them for 'not knowing how to do business'.
Even at 1.30am yesterday, the crowds were still very thick, and police were everywhere directing traffic.
One woman who hustled her way through the throngs, busily checking out pussy willows on sale, even bossily corralled this reporter into her search for a bargain.
I too was looking, but in a more leisurely fashion, and it did not matter if I didn't get any bargains.
But the lady persisted.
'Me and her, we take four bunches of pussy willows for $8 each,' she told the man selling the plants on behalf of his boss.
'Cannot. $11 each,' he said flatly.
She tried again: 'Your pussy willows are so tall, I would have to cut them. Otherwise, how to fit into my Mercedes-Benz?'
'I cut for you, no charge for cutting,' said the man.
'So $8 each and you cut for us,' said the woman.
'No, cannot,' said the man.
LITTLE NONYAS, BIG FANS: Ten little and not-so-little Nonyas from the Lee and Ang families celebrating Chinese New Year with a nod to a favourite local TV show, The Little Nyonya. TNP PICTURES: MOHD ISHAK
'Haiyah, it's already 1am, you don't know how to do business,' she said and stalked off.
Elsewhere in Chinatown, vendors were pulling out boxes upon boxes of Chinese New Year goodies like love letters and hawking them at the top of their voices.
They wanted $6 per box.
There were no takers.
Everyone was still waiting for the price to drop.
Eventually the prices did, as they usually do.
For after the new year, the demand for all things Chinese New Year will plummet like recent property prices.
At 3.30am, pussy willows were going for as cheap as $3 a bunch for any takers still in the fray.
And the excitement was not only in Chinatown.
Over at the Floating Platform, the annual River Hongbao took on a different venue and perhaps a more muted response because of that.
And Singapore welcomed two little Ox babies, both born at the stroke of midnight.
Matthew Loo was born at the Thomson Medical Centre and for being first in line, his family received a $398 Risis gold-plated ox.
He also received S$8,888 cash - which will, however, have to be shared with another midnight baby born at Mount Alvernia Hospital - baby girl Tan Jing Xuan.
The money will be placed in an investment fund, managed by HSBC, with the capital and accumulated interest going to both recipients when they turn 18.
On the first day of the Chinese New Year, after all the goodies have been bought and one can start celebrating, one family here thought of a novel way of doing so.
The Ang and the Lee families in Hougang decided that all the women would dress up as Nonyas.
So 10 of them did.
'This is due to the popularity of the show (The Little Nyonya) and also to celebrate the new year. The one who thought of it was a real fan of The Little Nyonya ,' said Mr Edmund Sng, a cousin-in-law of the women, referring to MediaCorp's hit drama serial.
