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What to know about the cheongsam

Wearing a cheongsam during Chinese New Year is a tradition among many Chinese women.

However for Singaporeans Rebecca Lan, Maria Lai and Ng Liew Ping, these tight-fitting dresses are everyday wear.

Here are some things to note about cheongsams.

Special thanks to Golden Scissor Cheongsam.

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What Yusheng ingredients symbolise

It wouldn't be Chinese New Year without a round of Lo Hei.

Also known as the prosperity toss, the annual tradition hopes to bring more prosperity and better luck for the new year. The Yusheng, a raw fish salad, is central to this custom and typically contains 27 ingredients.

Famous Chinese restaurant Crystal Jade recently shared with us what some of the ingredients symbolise.

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Style inspiration: Chinese zodiac-themed nails

Usher in the year of the rooster with Chinese zodiac-themed nails.

A nail artist from Leekaja beauty salon at Mandarin Gallery shows us how you can show off your own zodiac as we usher in the Year of the Rooster.

Meanwhile, here are some hairstyle tutorials to check out this Chinese New Year season:

Try this look: styles for short hair

Try this look: funky half ponytail

Try this look: Korean curls

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Chinese Astrology: What 2017 has in store for the Snake

Photo: Getty Images

Chinese New Year falls on 28 January this year, and that signals a fresh start and a whole new round of astrological predictions. Here’s the forecast for the graceful and analytical Snake.

Year of the Snake:  2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965

LOVE

You will enjoy extremely good luck in your love life and 2017 is truly your year of romance. You’ll be surrounded by compatible and like-minded individuals and it’s possible to have a great relationship. However, be careful not to fall into the trappings of frivolous and superficial relationships with more than one partner. Married snakes will suffer from unfavourable luck with the opposite sex and as such should take care to manage any interactions with them.

CAREER

2017 will be a stable year with not much changes in terms of career luck. You will be able to improve interpersonal relationships at work and get help from others, leading to an overall improved fortune. On the other hand, there is the possibility of increased work pressure.

WEALTH

Your money luck is fairly average, but since there won’t be many opportunities to develop your career, your wealth will be affected as well. In fact, it may actually decline if you do not take measures to prevent your wealth from shrinking further.

HEALTH

This year bodes a year of poor health and you may get injured easily or bleed due to the presence of inauspicious stars. To combat this, pay extra attention to safety and protective measures when taking part in any dangerous sports such as mountaineering or sky-diving.

More Chinese zodiac predictions for 2017:

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Sheep

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig

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Chinese Astrology: What 2017 has in store for the Rat

Photo: Getty Images

Chinese New Year falls on 28 January this year, signalling a fresh start and a whole new round of astrological predictions. Here’s this the forecast for those born in the year of the smart and ever-resourceful Rat.

Year of the Rat: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960

LOVE

Your love life and social relationships in the Year of the Rooster look pretty good due to the presence of an auspicious star. In fact, guys born under the sign of the Rat may end up meeting a strong woman who will steal your heart! Ladies will experience a peaceful year with no obvious developments or setbacks, but you just might meet someone suitable at work. Do take care not to focus too much on love and forget to take advantage of your rising career luck. Social life wise, there is an element of loneliness, so it is best if you try to attend social activities and build better relationships this year. Try taking part in outdoor activities as sunshine can bring you a positive mindset.

CAREER

Your career luck will reach a peak this year, and companies will be eager to hire an employee like you if you are on the lookout for a job. Those happy with their jobs will receive plenty of help from others and good career development opportunities. To make the most of this, brush up your skills so that you can be ready to pounce when the opportunity strikes!

WEALTH

Your luck in wealth is rather weak in the Year of the Rooster, so try not to lend money to others or invest in risky stocks. This is a year where you have to pay close attention to what you spend and be sure to have a certain amount set aside in case of emergencies. If you really must invest in something, real estate can be a safe choice.

HEALTH

Take care not to overwork and strain your health. Pay attention to your own safety as you may get into an accident if you are not careful. Try to take part in outdoor activities more often to warm up your body and soul.

More Chinese zodiac predictions for 2017:

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Sheep

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig

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Chinese Astrology: What 2017 has in store for the Horse

Photo: Getty Images

Chinese New Year falls on 28 January this year, and that signals a fresh start and a whole new round of astrological predictions. Here’s the forecast for the the friendly and open-minded Horse.

Year of the Horse: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966

LOVE

In general, you will have quite good luck with the opposite sex, but most matches will turn out to be unfavourable. However, if you are determined, you will be able to find the right one. In the meantime, you’ll be able to enjoy yourself by taking part in social activities and meeting new people especially since you will have good luck in interpersonal relationships. For those in love or who are married, pay attention to your relationship with your lover and take care to communicate more, be more thoughtful and accommodating. Since you’ll have increased love luck this year, you may end up attracting unwanted suitors who may drive a wedge in your relationship.

CAREER

Due to the blessings of several auspicious stars, people born under the sign of the Horse will be helped by others and get opportunities as long as you work hard. However, if you are content to coast along and put in minimum effort, the inauspicious star Wugui will ensure that you cannot get any breakthrough in work and fall prey to needless disputes. This is a year where you should put your nose to the grindstone and be mindful not to let success get to your head. It’s not the best idea to change jobs as your new job may prove to be inferior to your current position due to unforeseen circumstances later in the year.

WEALTH

Due to your good career luck, you will receive plenty of money-making and saving opportunities. However, the existence of an inauspicious star Juanshe means that you may run the risk of suffering serious financial loss in return for peace. Do not make any high-risk investments or take out loans.

HEALTH

You will experience poor health, so be sure to pay special attention to your body. If you happen to have any recurrent ailments, you should manage it in order to stop it from surfacing again.

More Chinese zodiac predictions for 2017:

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Sheep

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig

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Little known facts about Lunar New Year

Sleeping with red packets under your pillow? Who knew!

Infographic designed by Candice Ng

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Chinese Astrology: What 2017 has in store for the Dog

Chinese New Year falls on 28 January this year, and that signals a fresh start and a whole new round of astrological predictions. Here’s the forecast for the loyal and kind Dog.

Year of the Dog: 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970

LOVE

Under the blessing of an auspicious star, you will experience prosperous love luck. However, males may experience instability in your love lives and suffer a setback in love. For those who are attached or married, do not get carried away by this wave of love luck and partake in ambiguous relationships or extramarital affairs.

CAREER

2017 will be a great year in terms of your career due to the blessing of several stars. You will meet a benefactor that brings you good luck, so make good use of this contact to meet more friends from different walks of life and expand your social circle.

WEALTH

With the blessing of many auspicious stars, you will get a lot of wealth and have many opportunities to acquire it. Be prudent and conservative when choosing how to spend and invest your money so that you can best accumulate wealth. Do not be greedy and bite off more than you can chew, or your luck will reverse.

HEALTH

2017 brings with it low spirits and a general disinterest in life. You may become more sensitive and over-think. To manage this, you should try to get out more and expel your grievances through exercising or taking up a hobby.

More Chinese zodiac predictions for 2017:

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Sheep

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig

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Try this look: funky half ponytail

Take your braids up a notch by weaving colourful cotton threads into them. Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore teamed up with stylists from the newly opened Leekaja beauty salon at Mandarin Gallery to show how you can create this look. Using braiding and knitting techniques, spice up your hair just in time for Chinese New Year.

More hairstyle tutorials for Chinese New Year: Try this look: styles for short hair Try this look: Korean curls

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Try this look: Korean curls

If watching Korean dramas such as Legend of the Blue Sea and Goblin is making you dream of wispy curls a la many female K-drama leads, here's a style to try.

Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore teamed up with stylists from the newly opened Leekaja beauty salon at Mandarin Gallery to show how you can create this look ahead of Chinese New Year. All you need is a flat iron, a mirror and some practice.

More hairstyle tutorials for Chinese New Year:

Try this look: styles for short hair Try this look: funky half ponytail

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Try this look: styles for short hair

You can still be flexible even with short hair.

Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore recently teamed up with stylists from the newly opened Leekaja beauty salon at Mandarin Gallery to offer you ideas, just in time for Chinese New Year, or if you’re simply looking to give yourself a fresh, new look for 2017.

More hairstyle tutorials for Chinese New Year: Try this look: funky half ponytail Try this look: Korean curls

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What to do with all of those Christmas decorations?

After spending so much time and effort beautifying your home with a Christmas tree and stunning ornaments, it almost seems like such a waste to shelf them away until the next December rolls around.

However, it is possible to use those Christmas decorations all year round without your home looking like a victim of groundhog day. Here are some ways to repurpose those Christmas decorations.

• Smell like Christmas

Admittedly, it is a little strange to have your home look like it’s Christmas the whole year. But no one can say no to your home smelling like Christmas. Instead of throwing your dead Christmas trees away, use the pine needles to make potpourri instead.

It is actually pretty simple to make potpourri out of pine needles. A simple way to do this requires pine needles, lemon and orange rind as well as other spices. All you need to do is place as many pine needles as you can in a pot. Throw in the lemon, orange and other spices and submerge with water. Then let it simmer. Your whole house will start smelling like Christmas once again.

You can also use pine needles to make soaps, candles and lotions. This way, Christmas will never leave you.

• Explore the alternate dimensions with Christmas lights

It is an understatement to say that 2016 was a brutal year – especially with the death of many musical legends as well as the shocking victory of Donald Trump. But 2016 also had some gifts for us – like Netflix series Stranger Things, which explored parallel universes and alternate dimensions.

In fact, I wouldn’t blame you if you said that we are now living in the ‘Upside Down’ a term popularised by the TV series. It refers to a darker alternate reality. To communicate with those stuck in the Upside Down, Winona Ryder’s character used colourful fairy lights to communicate with her son.

So don’t throw away your lights just yet. Put up those lights on the wall and start communicating with those on the other side. Of course, if you don’t believe in all of that, do it anyway. Pretty doesn’t hurt!

• Make jewellery and chandeliers with Christmas ornaments

If you want to repurpose those Christmas ornaments, a great way to do so would be to make chandeliers out of the Christmas balls. Simply glue a cluster of ornaments together with some working bulbs and hang it on a string and suspend it from a cool spot in your room. It serves as an immediate touch of class in your living spaces.

Each year, there are also bound to be broken ornament pieces. Don’t throw them away. Instead create a cool mug by attaching those broken pieces to plain mugs. That will definitely add some quirk to your daily routine.

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6 stores for last-minute work gifts

Running out of time for Christmas shopping? Swing by these 6 stores for work gifts your colleagues will love and use.

By Annabelle Liang

Christmas is a busy period, especially if you have a large extended family and friends to shop for.

I spend most of my time fretting about their presents, before getting a minor panic attack when office shopping comes around. Assuming that you like your colleagues or wish to remain in their good books, a decent gift is crucial.

Experts have advised against stationary, personal care products or items that are downright uncomfortable (i.e. this is not the time to give your office crush a bouquet of roses).

These are a joy to receive:

1) Bluelounge Cable Drop – $14.95 for a pack of six

When the power supply is under your desk, picking up slipped cables can be frustrating. These sleek grips come in a pack of six – and you have the options of bright, muted or black. Plus, the store has a selection of other neat gifts, ranging from scratch maps to necklaces and tote bags.

Get it from: Red Dot Design Museum Singapore, 28 Maxwell Road, Singapore 069120

2) Ted Baker Brogue Luggage Tag – $36.90

This luggage tag will please jet setters or anyone planning for a dream vacation. We love that the accessory is embossed with the words “Well Packed”. While you're at it, pick up some cards with poignant quotes to make a colleague's Christmas brighter.

Get it from: MONOYONO stores at Plaza Singapura, VivoCity and Raffles City Shopping Centre

3) KeepCup Plastic 8OZ  –  $18.00

Not many know of popular coffee supplier Papa Palheta's store, that shares the same premises as hipster cafe Chye Seng Huat Hardware. It is a paradise for coffee lovers, selling everything needed to create that perfect brew. Available in a range of colours, this KeepCup is a great way to save the earth!

Get it from: Papa Palheta, 150 Tyrwhitt Road, Singapore 207563

4) LEGO Keychain – $9.90

We all have important keys – from the one that unlocks your office drawer, to another for the car and that precious set for home. LEGO has cute superhero, movie and occupation varieties. Bonus points if you can get one that your colleague relates to.

Get it from: Bricks World stores at Ngee Ann City, Suntec City, Resorts World Sentosa, VivoCity, Jem and Plaza Singapura

5) Parking Coupon Calendar – $12.90

Organisers are generally a boring gift. But, we're inclined to give this Parking Coupon Calendar a pass. Most suited for workers in the CBD who are victims of exorbitant parking fees.

Get it from: Naiise stores at Clark Quay Central, I12 Katong, Suntec City, The Cathay, Orchard Gateway and Westgate

6) A Power Nap – $20.00

Paying for a power nap – crazy now, but priceless on hectic days. This allows recipients to sneak out for a 30-minute “tea break” and catch some winks on a massage bed. The service is $28 if nap time falls outside the golden period of 2.30pm to 5.30pm.

Gift it in the form of vouchers, so colleagues who hate the idea of napping (we cannot be friends) can opt for a massage instead.

Get it from: Chop! Chop! Massage Express outlets at Chevron House and Marina Bay Link Mall

Even if you don't fancy the gifts on the list, try visiting the listed stores. They're chock full of items that are bound to bring some X'mas cheer.

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Chinese Astrology: What 2017 has in store for the Pig

Chinese New Year falls on 28 January this year, and that signals a fresh start and a whole new round of astrological predictions. Here’s the forecast for the diligent and generous Pig.

Year of the Pig: 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971

LOVE

Perhaps this is not the year to go seek love as you will find it difficult to develop good relationships with the opposite sex. Those who are single will find it near impossible to find the right one. Coupled with a lack of mood stemming from external factors, it will prove to be difficult to foster any lasting romantic relationships this year. However, you will meet plenty of friends. Those who are married need not worry about a third party, and you will have relatively good luck in your marriage. If you are really insistent on finding love, take note that it will need plenty of nurturing and time.

CAREER

Although you might be expecting a good career development, you may end up becoming over-confident and affecting your career’s future. You may easily offend your superiors and thus suffer under increased difficulties. However, if you manage to resolve any misunderstandings, you will get a certain career development. It is also a good idea to pursue further education and gain a better perspective of challenges faced at work.

WEALTH

You may have to live more frugally this year due to a decline in income, and investments will not go smoothly. For business owners, do not be greedy and try to expand your business too quickly. It is best to set aside a large sum of money in case of emergencies.

HEALTH

For the first half of the year, you will experience poor health and gastrointestinal problems. You should opt for a healthy and light diet during this period of time. Your health will improve in the second half of the year, however, and you will find a renewed interest in pursuing outdoor activities. Be careful to avoid high-risk activities and pay attention to food hygiene.

More Chinese zodiac predictions for 2017:

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Sheep

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig

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Chinese Astrology: What 2017 has in store for the Rooster

Photo: Getty Images

Chinese New Year falls on 28 January this year, and that signals a fresh start and a whole new round of astrological predictions. Here’s the forecast for the confident and motivated Rooster.

Year of the Rooster: 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969

LOVE

Love-wise, this is not a good year as you will be full of emotional turmoil — you will be irritable and grumpy because it seems like everything is not going your way. This means that you will easily clash with your lover, leading to a huge impact on your relationship. Due to pressures from all around you, you will not be in the mood to start a relationship. For those looking to get married, it is best to do so before 27 January, which is Chinese New Year’s Eve. To get rid of this gloomy luck, try attending more happy events and celebrations of new birth.

CAREER

Do not make any major career changes and decisions this year as your career luck is not in the best shape. You will encounter many difficulties should you choose to move to a new work environment. At work, it is good to strive for perfection but do not let it contribute to undue stress. Seek help from people born under the sign of the Tiger if you meet with difficulties in your career.

WEALTH

Your money luck will be good, but only if you are willing to put in the energy and hard work. Do not invest in anything risky or which promises big returns. If anyone asks for a loan, it is unlikely you will ever see that money ever again. It is best to be conservative this year, be it in love, money, or career.

HEALTH

You will experience poor health this year, and it is best to stay away from dangerous activities and places in order to avoid an accident. Pay attention to your respiratory health as poor air quality can have a huge impact on your well-being. Should you feel any unusual pain or sickness, consult a doctor to make sure it is not anything tumour-related.

More Chinese zodiac predictions for 2017:

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Sheep

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig

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Chinese Astrology: What 2017 has in store for the Monkey

Photo: Getty Images

Chinese New Year falls on 28 January this year, and that signals a fresh start and a whole new round of astrological predictions. Here’s the forecast for the curious and clever Monkey.

Year of the Monkey: 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968

LOVE

Due to the Hongluan Star, an auspicious star in charge of marriage and love, Monkeys will have a blessed year of love luck and good development in relationships. Those who are single can feel free to pursue love, while those in relationships may see themselves getting married or further solidifying and affirming their love. Married couples will experience a smooth married life with only a few small quarrels.

CAREER

There will be an improved luck in career from the previous year, and your interpersonal relationships will get better. You will be able to seek help from your peers instead of having to struggle alone, which may translate into new and exciting developments. Keep your eyes on your goal and work towards it.

WEALTH

Likewise, your wealth will improve from last year. While you may not have a large income, your wealth will stabilise as long as you work carefully. Those who own their own business should maintain good relationships with their staff in order to avoid a wave of resignations. Invest and loan out of your own practical situation, do not live beyond your means. Do not take part in risky investments.

HEALTH

You may experience poor health in the first half of the year, but this will improve towards the second half of the year. Pay attention to your diet and cut down on alcohol as much as possible as it might lead to gastrointestinal troubles. When driving, pay attention to traffic safety.

More Chinese zodiac predictions for 2017:

Rat

Ox

Tiger

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Sheep

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig

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