We were back to hubs hometown last weekend to celebrate my father in laws' birthday and also to perform Ching Ming prayers to hubs grandparents and great grandparents.It was Amber's second Ching Ming experience and her cousin sister's first. We were told of certain do's and don't during Ching Ming :
- do not call out the each other's name, else the 'spirits' will hear and follow you home
- do not step on other's 'home'
- do wear a red packet with 2 red RM10 notes - for kids only
- do tap sand and grime off shoes after peforming Ching Ming. Do not enter car with dirty shoes
I for one, is not a superstitious believer but if the elderly calls for it, we'll just follow, with due respect.
The kids were talking about it and her cousin sister cheh cheh YW, warned Amber not to call out each others names or else they'll end up with distorted mouth. Both were discussing the fears of it..
My Miss Chatterbox Blabbermouth will have a hard time not-talking, not-calling out names. She too, is worried and suggested to YW that they they better tape their mouth shut !
I nearly died laughing when I overheard ! Poor kids were full of fear, spirits and zombies hovered over their thoughts. I came up with an idea and asked them to choose a pseudonym. If you call Mickey Mouse or Goofy... I'm sure the spirits wouldn't know, right ??
So, Amber wanted to be Daisy Duck for the day and YW was Minnie Mouse.
We started the day very early, leaving home at 5am and arriving at the cemetary before 6am. Both kids were horrified, staring blankly and the pitch blackness and frankly, if not for the big group of us going, I would be scared too. Our iphone flash guided us the way and the kids clung on to us like glue.. very, very quiet until we arrived at hubs greatgrandparents grave. We did the obligatory simple prayers of fruits, fatt koh, dumplings, roast pork, tea and wine and burnt paper offerings and fireworks. The kids were yapping out to each other Daisy and Minnie.
It was a fun experience for Daisy and Minnie and they were drained by afternoon. !
