I’d say a good 85% of my neighbors are always home. We good.
My favorite New Year custom is the disappearance of people, who head down to the Deep South to perform arcane rituals like eating tepid muck and setting off firecrackers. Last night, the wife and I ventured out to feed my buddy’s cats in Xindian. Ximen was deserted. There was like nobody in our MRT carriage, apart from what looked like a junkie prostitute, shaking and sweating.
Silent streets, no crowds, hardly any traffic, empty MRT stations.
Pure bliss.
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Unfortunately I’m trapped in exactly that.
Envy
Last night’s meal was stone cold and swarming with flies. The leftovers were wrapped in plastic and set aside. I knew what that meant…
me: ”I’ll get up early (reads: will be violently woken up at 6am because of the early morning firecrackers) and make French toast, fried eggs, bacon and fresh orange juice for everyone.
wife: Why? No need to. Breakfast is already ready.
me: You mean the 2 day old leftovers?
wife: yes. will be lunch too. Besides, it’s lunar new year, nobody eats western food. It will be insulting.
And. This. Is. Just. Day. One.
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Biggest laugh I’ve had in weeks, mate. Classic post. 
Alas, the folly of marrying into a Taiwanese family. Luckily for me, my wife is from Hong Kong, so eating tepid muck off of newspaper every year is out of the question, due to cost and travel.
I would kill for some French toast and fried eggs right now.
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“It is considered lucky to eat the leftovers. It means/guarantees abundance for the coming year”.
I hate myself for writing that. I hated going through it. I refuse to go through this again. But then, I’m single.
My respect - and condolences for your stomach woes- to married folk who sacrifice for family’s sake.
I am about to get up and make some nice breakfast: omelette -ham or cheese?- got some sour cream too, tea -during the cleaning, I vanished my French press, dimmit. Hot dogs will be dinner. What else can I add? Mmmm
Oh and the ban on cooking is mostly because you need to use a knife/cut stuff which “symbolizes cutting off luck”.
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Nice breakfast, I had a long black coffee + sweet pastry. Left overs for lunch.
Other custom play New Years music (was told make noise)
Now that you mentioned it, I found it weird this year most stores did not blare the ding ding ding one and only one New Year song.
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I like CNY music. Just listened to some on Spotify during our dinner!
Somebody missed throw out good furniture and replace with new furniture that’s looks identical.
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Eating fish and nian gao. It’s supposed to be auspicious but idk man, I don’t really enjoy nian gao haha They’ve got ube flavoured ones back home and those are pretty nice, but otherwise, hard pass.
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This year I added to the pile, did not take. Last year I got a one person sofa.
Watching endless amounts of silly local TV variety shows. Or at least having them blaring in the background.
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As a follow up I tried t by NT$200 one in your photo, did not see so got another one (only 1) won NT$1,000. Busy lotto shop today
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The food this year has been outstanding. The MIL knocked up the most amazing crab in ginger on day 1. However, it’s now day 3 and reaching the “I’m sure I’ve seen that shrimp before” stage.
I’ve offered to cook, but they won’t let me after the coq au vin with chopsticks incident.
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Pack, drive, check into hotel, unpack.
Pack, check out of hotel, drive, check into hotel, unpack.
Pack, check out of hotel, drive, check into hotel, unpack.
Pack, check out of hotel, drive, check into hotel, unpack.
Repeat daily for holiday duration avoiding really seeing anything except from car window or doing anything except in or near hotel.
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Danshui was completely packed. Im guessing not as many headed south.
For me the good thing, I am always at home at this holiday ! (Do not miss the crowds)
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Dude, that’s what the HSR is for.
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Go to a nice Italian restaurant with about 15 people and everybody orders one dish.
Then everybody precedes to pass around each dish Chinese style as comes out.
So I don’t get to enjoy the dish I ordered.
Granted small town family almost never eat western-style food so…
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