Move In Ceremony

Prior to moving in, Hb and I got the move in date selected by Kok.Chong.Ming. There were several dates provided. However not all suited our renovation schedule / leave plans so we were left with only 1 choice i.e. 31-December-2012 (Monday) which also coincides with my parents & brother's move in date to their unit! Lucky thing their timing was earlier i.e. between 5am-7am and ours was between 9am-11am. Which meant that I was able to help out at my parents' house first before moving in to my own house. Lucky thing both our units are on the same row!!!

Here are the list to-dos that we were told to follow for the move in ceremony:

• Before time to move in, hang red cloth at the entrance

• Auspicious time, at the car porch, light pot of charcoal

• Make sure it's burning red (pili palak)

• Patriarch to shout: "San Ook Yup For", "Tai Kat Tai Lei", "Heng Ah", "Huat Ah"!!!
• Patriarch while holding pot of burning charcoal step into the house with LEFT leg NOISILY!
• Take the charcoal pot straight into the kitchen! Don't stop, don't turn back
• Then patriarch to get god statues from the car and tell the gods (facing the sky) - Today we "sun ook yup for, cheng (god's name) into our new home" then put god statues on altar
• Patriarch to add 'ang pow' of RM12 at the bottom of the rice urn. Rice to be 80% full. Carry into the kitchen

• Sequence: > Patriarch: S&P, bank books, cash, jewelry, marriage certificates in pockets > Matriarch: Pillow, cash, jewelry & oil, salt, sauce, vinegar & tea leaves > Son: Marriage cert, bank book, cash, jewelry

• Open all the windows and doors. Switch on lights, on taps!
• Boil sweet dessert. After eating, everybody to say "hou tim"!!!
• All to take bath and change into new clothes!
• Start praying!
• Change bed sheet
• Sprinkle tea leaves, salt and rice and leave for 3 days!
• Move old furniture in!

More on this later as it was an important day for us all! :)
In the meantime, read about how we got the dates in the first place here.