The Lunar New Year holiday is losing its luster in Taiwan as costs and early Western festivities take their toll on the festive atmosphere, a survey showed yesterday.
A Chinese-language newspaper's survey said a majority of people believed there was less of a holiday atmosphere this year, while nearly one-fifth were reluctant to celebrate because of financial pressure.
Over 75 percent of 806 people polled by the newspaper said the atmosphere was not as pronounced as previous years because the Western New Year holiday was holding more events such as firework displays and outdoor concerts.
The Feb. 1 survey found 16 percent disliked the Lunar New Year holiday, which is traditionally the most important holiday in the year. Half the men in this group cited financial reasons for their dislike, saying they had to spend a lot of cash on gifts and red envelopes filled with money.
It is customary for people to pay courtesy visits and bring presents to relatives and friends during the holiday.
Adults also give red envelopes to children.
Many women said they disliked the Lunar New Year because they would become exhausted from cleaning house and preparing elaborate holiday dishes.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
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Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
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