Singapore is a country where several Asian cultures are mingled with Western traditions. This diversity leads to many national holidays and festivals. Many of them have ethnic backgrounds and thus differ greatly from one another. Whenever you visit Singapore, there will always be a local festival celebrating religious or cultural traditions. However, Singapore is quite popular with tourists from all over the world, and therefore, its airports are very busy. It is recommended to use Flightradar24 or another service to check the actual status of the airport and the congestion of aircraft arriving at it.
Chinese New Year
This celebration involves all major ethnic groups, including Chinese, Indians, and Malayans. The holiday includes a few festivals that are held in preparation for the main one. Two weeks before Chinese New Year (which is usually celebrated between the end of January and the beginning of February). Family traditions are strong in Singapore, and it’s reflected in this festival in particular. People gather with their families and bring gifts for wealth and prosperity (red envelopes called hongbao and mandarin trees). They also attend churches to participate in religious worship. At this time, the streets are decorated with Chinese lanterns and multi-colored garlands.
On New Year’s Day, people go to church and then crowd the streets. They walk in a massive column, with the majority of the participants dressed in red. The combination of red elements in street decorations and people’s garments makes it look like a walking fire. The central point of the celebration is Chinatown, where you can watch the performances in the traditional costumes, listen to traditional Chinese music, and also get a considerable discount in Chinese shops.
Deepavali (Diwali)
This festival of lights usually takes place in late fall. It represents the triumph of light over darkness; therefore, lamps are lit in many homes and churches. On this day, numerous quaint lamps of various materials are also sold in shops near the main streets, where a large parade is held. The streets are adorned with small lanterns and fires, and people are encouraged to smile as much as possible. The Chingay parade attracts everyone in the country, and many come from other Asian countries to take part. Artists give their best performances, with acrobatics being the most popular.
The parade walks down each city’s main street, where the action usually shifts to the marine parade. Thousands of boats shaped like dragon heads are launched into the city channel, and the boatmen compete to be the first to arrive at the designated location, with crowds of people cheering and waving small artificial torches.
The Festival of Fires is associated with Indian culture, that’s why you’d better head to the city’s Little India district. There, performances, mass dances in the national costumes with traditional music going from everywhere can be enjoyed. You can taste the Indian candy in numerous local shops and even purchase a traditional garment for yourself.
People attend churches during the festival period, which is also considered a religious period. It is also traditional for the whole family to gather in the evening and light Bengal lights in support of the Powers of Light.
Hari Raya Puasa (Eid Ul Fitr)
This major Malayan celebration takes place in the middle of the fall, usually at the end of September. It marks the end of Ramadan, the major Muslim fasting month. Most events take place in the Malayan part of the city. The main street is lavishly decorated for the event, and everyone dresses to the nines. On this day, they take to the streets to sing traditional Malay songs and dance.
The Malayan bazaars are especially picturesque at this period. They are also decorated for the occasion and are usually crowded with people. Traditional Malayan dishes and drinks, as well as sweets, are usually served.
In the morning, the churches are visited for traditional morning prayer. After the main part of the celebration is over, the families visit their relatives and friends in the evening.
Christmas
Christmas celebrations in Singapore start in late November and continue until Christmas Day. The Christmas spirit is honored, and the streets are decorated in a variety of ways. There are traditional Christmas symbols such as small Santa figures, New Year’s trees, and Christian characters. But there are also elements from local cultures as well, such as Chinese lanterns, colorful garlands, and wind chimes. The most picturesque part of the celebration is the seventh week, which concludes with Christmas Day. It’s called “Christmas in the Tropics.” The street has a lot of bright and colorful elements, such as the street arcs, for example.
In December, there are a number of interesting performances in the city center. During this time, a major dance festival called ZoukOut is held in the open air on Sentosa Island, and you can enjoy virtuoso performances in various dancing genres. You can attend the Parade of Floats in Marina Bay and look at the numerous multi-colored floats shimmering on the water. Or simply listen to numerous choir groups singing traditional Christmas songs in the street.
At this time of year, the city malls are decorated in accordance with Christian tradition. They have a wide variety of Christmas decorations, and they offer significant discounts on all goods late on Christmas Eve.
Christians attend churches, while people of all cultures visit friends and relatives and eat Christmas dinner.
