Reunion dinner is just a name to me.

It is always a tradition for the Chinese to have a reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year. Yes, reunion dinner is meant to be spent with our families and hence its name. Before the start of the dinner, we will have this dish called 鱼生 (yu sheng). It is filled with fish, crackers, vegetables and some other weird ingredients that I do not know of. Families will do the trademark of prosperity toss by picking up the food with their chopsticks and lifting it up as high as they can because it is rumored that the higher you toss, the better luck you have. After that, it'll be followed by a scrumptious meal.

Oh wait, why I am talking about food? That is very off point.

I am here to blog about my reunion dinner. Reunion dinners are always very important to me because my family doesn't have the tradition to sit together for dinner during our meal times. It seems to me that Chinese New Year Eve is only the time when my family can get together. The only difference this year is that I don't get to spend it with my paternal family because my father has gone to somewhere far away. My mum's family is in Indonesia and so the only family I could have my reunion dinner with is my stepfather's, which is also known as my step-paternal family.

I honestly dislike going there. I was never once close to them, like how my sister is. I don't even know what to call them. My mum always ask me to greet them like they are my paternal family members but my conscience tells me to defy these orders. I know it is not right to be calling someone else as my aunt, uncle or granny when they have no blood relations to me. Furthermore, my father is still alive. I know it is rude for my brother and I to greet them with a 'hello' instead of greeting them with some high respected names, but I just can't help it.

I wouldn't blame them for treating us like we are non-existent because I know it myself that my brother and I don't give them the respect they deserve. But I guess that beats the purpose of a reunion dinner. A reunion dinner, to me, is actually a time when I eat a very nice meal with strangers. Yes, that's all I could think about.

Reunion dinner, after all, is just a title. No more, no less.

Chinese New Year is not special anymore. It has lost its meaning. Just like last year, I'll be cooping at home during this festive season. I honestly do envy people who get to visit their family members and take photos with them.

I want this season to quickly end )'=