Chap Goh Meh

Chap Goh Meh is a festival celebrated on the last day of the lunisolar Chinese New Year celebration. The term is from the Hokkien dialect and refers to the occasion of the first full moon of the New Year. In traditional Chinese culture, it is also celebrated as the Lantern Festival or the Yuan Xiao Festival.

In some region and countries, this festival is also regarded as the Chinese version of Valentine's Day, a day celebrating love and affection between lovers in Chinese tradition and culture. It is also when young unmarried women gather to toss mandarin oranges into the sea, in a hope that their future spouse will pick it up.

All the young people are write the name and contact number on the mandarin orange and toss it into the sea.

The first month of the Chinese calender is called yuan month, and in ancient times people called night xiao; therefore, the day is called Yuan Xiao Festival in China. The 15th day is the first night to see a full moon in that lunar year. According to Chinese tradition, at the very beginning of the a new year, when there is a bright full moon hanging in the sky, there should be thousands of colour lanterns hung out for people to appreciate. At this time, people will try to solve puzzle on lanterns, eat yuanxiao (a glutinous rice ball) and enjoy a family reunion.

Release of a paper lantern with all the wishes that written on the paper lantern. They are constructed from oiled rice paper on a bamboo frame and contain a small candle. When lit, the flame heats the air inside the lantern, thus lowering its density causing the lantern to rise into the sky.

Yuan Xiao (glutinous rice ball) is the special food for the Lantern Festival. It is a kind of salty or sweet dumpling which is sticky, round in shape, symbolizing family unit, completeness and happiness.