The Big Delivery Day

The big delivery day arrived yesterday and I had to drive a couple of stuff over to bride's family as part of the gift and dowry practice handed down over thousands of years. Apparently, different clan groups will send different things so being a Hainanese, we aren't as elaborated as the Hokkiens when it comes to delivering goods.

As a matter of practice, nowadays, we replace most of these dowry with angpow. If you can't get the four types of seafood, just replace with money. If you can't get the two bottle of hard liquor, just replace with money. Yup, this speaks volume considering how modern Chinese culture has evolved over the years. If there is one thing I have to agree with my colleague, who have a weird notion of the Chinese being greedy and money minded and weddings are part of scam to make big bucks, it is this: We are too materialistic to the extent that taking time to buy those usual products for gift exchange has been abandoned in favour of money. It is true, money is the most convenient gift to give. But honestly, I find the cultural value would have been lost if we only emphasis on giving money. And the sad thing is, we are not being creative in how we give the money. Unlike the Malays, they at least spend time to make paper flowers using money.

Anyway, I didn't have much to bring because the main gift the groom's family usually provide is actually the cash dowry. The next best thing on the list (some may disagree) is the roasted pig. We asked for a small version which turns out to be quite big anyway. It was sourced from Kepong wet market and apparently, it is one of the best (I have to agree after we chopped it up later for lunch. It is good as the meat isn't too dry and the skin is so crunchy). As part of the Chinese custom, the groom side delivers the roasted pig as a sign of declaring the bride is a virgin.

Source: http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/?id=1736537&refnum=462596

Honestly, I find nowadays virgins are overrated going by the popular norm. I guess to most feudal society, being a virgin is a sign of purity and innocence. Nowadays, many would laugh at those who choose to remain chaste until marriage. In fact, some people would want to practice as much as possible with various partners before marrying. Do any of you out there mind if your partner has prior and vast practical experience when it comes to sex with multiple partners? I know of men who mind a lot simply because they want something "pure" and "innocent", not tainted goods and yet they don't mind sleeping around to prove their prowess in bed. Talk about double standards right? Anyway, you can laugh all you like but I am hereby declaring I am still a virgin. Somehow, I feel odd making this declaration...:P