10 Old Singaporean Habits We're Glad Disappeared
...and stay out!
Every generation has its quirks.
Singaporeans are no exception. But we're glad these have (mostly) faded into history.
饾煆. 饾悂饾惈饾悽饾惂饾悹饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悓饾悮饾悹饾悹饾悽饾悶 饾悅饾悺饾悽饾惀饾惀饾悽 饾悗饾惎饾悶饾惈饾惉饾悶饾悮饾惉
For some reason, we used to think chilli sauce is not available anywhere else in the world.
As though civilisation outside Singapore had never discovered spicy condiments.
饾煇. 饾悘饾悮饾惌饾惌饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悡饾悺饾悶 饾悂饾惍饾惉 饾悞饾悶饾悮饾惌 (饾悮饾悹饾悹饾惈饾悶饾惉饾惉饾悽饾惎饾悶饾惀饾惒) 饾悂饾悶饾悷饾惃饾惈饾悶 饾悞饾悽饾惌饾惌饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悆饾惃饾惏饾惂
bam bam bam bam bam
The old timers seem to think that this would "release the heat" from the seats. Even after the seats have been changed to harder material, they still continue to do this.
饾煈. 饾悡饾悮饾悿饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悇饾惂饾惌饾悽饾惈饾悶 饾悋饾悮饾惂饾悵饾悷饾惍饾惀饾惉 饾悗饾悷 饾悡饾悽饾惉饾惉饾惍饾悶 饾悈饾惈饾惃饾惁 饾悓饾悳饾悆饾惃饾惂饾悮饾惀饾悵'饾惉
Eat one meal. Take twenty-seven napkins. Because kiasu.
Some families accumulated enough McDonald's tissue over a year to survive a minor national shortage.
饾煉. 饾悐饾悶饾悶饾惄饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悅饾悮饾惉饾悺 饾悎饾惂饾惉饾悽饾悵饾悶 饾悓饾悽饾惀饾惃 饾悡饾悽饾惂饾惉
Before online banking, was the legendary Milo tin.
Every household seemed to have one...under the bed.
Nobody questioned why the nation's unofficial bank vault was a recycled chocolate malt container, but it was one place scammers could not get to.
饾煋. 饾悅饾悮饾惈饾惈饾惒饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悅饾悽饾悹饾悮饾惈饾悶饾惌饾惌饾悶 饾悂饾惃饾惐饾悶饾惉 饾悎饾惂饾惉饾悽饾悵饾悶 饾悩饾惃饾惍饾惈 饾悡-饾悞饾悺饾悽饾惈饾惌 饾悞饾悺饾惃饾惍饾惀饾悵饾悶饾惈
Smokers of a certain era mastered an art form: the cigarette pack inserted through your collar, to sit on your shoulder.
It looked weird. But hey - convenience man.
饾煍. 饾悢饾惉饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悜饾悶饾惉饾惌饾悮饾惍饾惈饾悮饾惂饾惌 饾悥饾悶饾惌 饾悡饾惃饾惏饾悶饾惀饾惉 饾悑饾悽饾悿饾悶 饾悁 饾悈饾惍饾惀饾惀-饾悂饾惃饾悵饾惒 饾悞饾悺饾惃饾惏饾悶饾惈
The ritual goes like this: burst the towel package with a loud POP!
Then wipe your face, your neck, under your arm pits...your arms...
饾煏. 饾悁饾惈饾惈饾悽饾惎饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悁饾惌 饾悥饾悶饾悵饾悵饾悽饾惂饾悹饾惉 饾悁饾惉 饾悑饾悮饾惌饾悶 饾悁饾惉 饾悘饾惃饾惉饾惉饾悽饾悰饾惀饾悶
Invitation says: 7.00 pm. You come at 8.40 pm.
Some say it's for luck. Some say it's bad luck to come early. Whatever the reason, we're glad this practice got flushed into the toilet bowls of history.
饾煐. "饾悞饾悮饾悰饾惃-饾悽饾惂饾悹" 饾悈饾惈饾悽饾悶饾惂饾悵饾惉 饾悗饾惂 饾悡饾悺饾悶饾悽饾惈 饾悂饾悽饾惈饾惌饾悺饾悵饾悮饾惒
The birthday tradition wasn't cake.
It was violence.
Eggs, flour, whipped cream. Sometimes with stuff even more gross.
WHYYYYY?!!?!?
饾煑. 饾悑饾悽饾惂饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悓饾惃饾惌饾惃饾惈饾悳饾惒饾悳饾惀饾悶 饾悋饾悶饾惀饾惁饾悶饾惌饾惉 饾悥饾悽饾惌饾悺 饾悕饾悶饾惏饾惉饾惄饾悮饾惄饾悶饾惈
Before fancy moisture-wicking liners...there was The Straits Times.
The old timers would fold them neatly inside helmets to absorb sweat and supposedly keep riders cool.
Reading yesterday's headlines became an unexpectedly intimate experience.
饾煆饾煄. 饾悥饾惈饾悮饾惄饾惄饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悇饾惎饾悶饾惈饾惒饾惌饾悺饾悽饾惂饾悹 饾悎饾惂 饾悘饾惀饾悮饾惉饾惌饾悽饾悳
Once upon a time, everything was precious and money was hard to earn.
Everything would be protected: remote controls, calculators, sofas, dining chairs, car seats.
The item remained "brand new" for twenty years...because nobody was ever allowed to actually touch it.
饾悞饾惃饾惁饾悶 饾悋饾悮饾悰饾悽饾惌饾惉 饾悕饾悶饾惎饾悶饾惈 饾悡饾惈饾惍饾惀饾惒 饾悆饾悽饾悶
Of course, some Singaporean habits refuse to disappear.
Chope-ing tables, for example.
Pretending not to notice someone asking for donations.
Those may survive for another generation yet.