My bosom friend and classmate, Emilia, came from a large extends family. She was of Chinese and Malay blood. People of such heritage are described as "Baba" or "Peranakan." Theirs was a loving family. There were two married sons and two unmarried daughters. The sons, together with their wives and children, lived in a huge bungalow with their parents. The house was always alive and full of laughter. The family also very traditional and had great respect for their ancestors.
                     The parents were greatly revered by all the other members of the of the family. The children were obedient and filial and never argued with their parents. They were a close-knit family in which members of the family of helped each other in times of difficulty.
                     However, the family was also very particular about certain practices and superstitious beliefs prevailed. No members of the family could give each other sharp instruments like needles, knifes or scissors. They believed that this would cause quarrels between the giver and the receiver. The family also ub==instructed that nobody was allowed to sweep the house after sunset because this would cause family warmth and love to be swept out of the home.
                     On the eve if Lunar New Year, the children were not permitted to sleep until they had ushered in the new year at the stroke of midnight fir the deities bestrowed most blessing on those they met first. On the day a son got married, he and his spouse were each made to sweep a large of orange into the threshold of the house.   

writing by Nik Nur Amira Bt Amran