Our less than booming economy is apparently having an impact on CNY trade. But I am reasonably optimistic that the Monkey Year will turn out OK for the Prudence Life. Fingers crossed...

While we wait to find out, we enjoy the much-loved razzmatazz of "prosperity juice" (Juiceworks has added soursop to its mandarin, lychee, and guava mix), lion dances, festive lanterns, and the rest.



We also deal with the weather. Here it's been hotter and drier than usual. In other parts of Asia, it has been freakishly cold.

And we observe the iconography for the Year of the Monkey, which I can't help noticing is a tad challenging. There's something about an enormous monkey that can very easily swing from cute to scary. They're way too like us not to appear threatening when they're big...

Perhaps this is why Quill have gone for a totally different look:



Ambank have come up with a reasonably chirpy monkey:



But my prize goes to Fahrenheit 88, whose cheerful New Year pergola is enlivened by a swarm of tiny simians who cannot fail to make you smile.