The Chinese New Year is a big traditional holiday in Singapore. On its Eve, while many will (67) for the reunion dinner, others will head for the airport or train station to "flee" (68) such festivities. With a (69) number of Singaporeans going on overseas tours during this time, the Chinese New Year holiday has in recent years become a (70) season for travel agents, (71) it Used to be a lull period for them. Isn’t Chinese New Year the (72) important traditional festival for the Chinese Well, for those who choose to (73) flight, it means an opportunity to enjoy a holiday out of the country. The concern is, if even Chinese New Year can be (74) , what other traditional festivals cannot be disregarded Why do we need to (75) traditional festivals Firstly, they are inseparable from our ethnic identity. The Chinese, Malays and Indians all have their own traditional festivals (76) which they derive "a sense of belonging to a particular community". So if any Chinese does not see himself (77) one, there is no need for him to celebrate any Chinese festivals. True, everyone has the right to (78) traditions. The problem is: you cannot deny your ethnic origins or change your skin color. We are (79) with a certain skin color which cannot be "bleached"—if one has a "yellow face" and yet refuse to (80) with the Chinese, who else can he or she identify with Secondly, the (81) spirit of the more than 2000-year-old Chinese New Year is closely intertwined with the traditional culture and values of the Chinese. (82) its core is the Confucian value of good interpersonal relationships. Traditional Chinese festivals (83) center on maintaining and improving human relations. Reunion dinner helps to (84) family ties while the exchange of gifts and greetings enhance relations among friends. To skip the reunion dinner and stay (85) from Chinese New Year means losing many great opportunities to forge stronger kinship and friendship ties. A tradition must be capable of being (86) down from one generation to another. Yet this does not mean traditions cannot be changed.