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The Gift of Rice
In case you are still looking for gift sets this CNY, check out Primera rice – it’s the perfect festive gift
By Dr Woo Tai Kwan
The Lunar New Year is just around the corner. To the Chinese, this is a very important celebration as it signifies letting go of the past year and ushering in the new one, with all its possibilities. About 2 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year globally. This year, it begins on January 22. Already, shopping malls are decked up in hues of red and gold, and shoppers everywhere are looking for gifts.
I have already settled on my festive gift. This year, I will be giving my friends and loved ones what, I believe, to be the best gift of all – the gift of rice. Primera rice, of course.
Primera Rice has low glycaemic index (GI) and is thus suitable for diabetics as well as those in the pre-diabetic range. My father-in-law is 86. An independent man, he insists on living alone in Kedah. Nevertheless, as with most elderly people, he needs to cut down on his sugar intake. But he still needs his carbohydrates as he leads an active lifestyle. This makes Primera Rice the perfect CNY gift for him as it is not only healthy, nutritious but also has specific benefits for those who need to watch their diet.
It has been several years since I started giving out small hampers of Primera Rice during CNY. I think it all started during the MCO when we could not visit physically. I wanted to give a healthy, nutritious, practical, yet meaningful gift. The gift of rice is auspicious because in many cultures, rice symbolises wealth, fertility and good health. Look round any reunion dinner table on the eve of the Lunar New Year and you will see bowls of rice. Rice is a “must have” and most families would serve full bowls of it. Having full bowls of rice means not just providing but also abundance.
This year, I plan to make Primera rice part of my CNY décor too, by placing small gift sets (comprising 1kg packs of Primera rice, together with some mandarins) in strategic corners around the house, for siblings and close friends to take home when they come a-visiting. The red colour of the rice, due to the high level of anthocyanin (the antioxidant pigment that dyes the bran of the rice grain red) makes it a superb, auspicious gift.
I will also fill my rice bin (to the brim) with Primera Rice for luck, of course. Huat, huat huat! Gong Xi Fa Cai, everyone!
