EVERY year, when Chinese New Year comes around, it isn’t the firecrackers or the fanfare that mean the most to Ceddy Ang.
It’s the table.
For the media personality and television host, the reunion meal has always been the heart of the celebration. Not because of elaborate rituals or extravagant spreads but because of what it represents: everyone sitting down together.
“For me, it’s less about strict traditions,” he shares with Sinar Daily. “Even if the meal is simple, that moment of everyone being present matters.”
Before the festivities begin, Ceddy makes it a point to tidy and organise the house. Growing up, he was taught that cleaning before the new year symbolises clearing out the old to welcome a fresh start. It’s a lesson that has stayed with him well into adulthood.
There is something quietly therapeutic about sweeping away the dust of the past year, a ritual that mirrors emotional renewal just as much as physical order.
As he gets older, however, the meaning of Chinese New Year has deepened. While careers expand and dreams demand attention, time with parents becomes more precious.
“We’re all busy building our own lives, it’s easy to forget that while we’re growing, our parents are getting older too," he said.
Chinese New Year, for him, is a gentle pause button. A reminder to go home. To sit longer at the table. To be fully present if we’re able to.
These days, the celebration feels less performative and more intentional. It is about connection, gratitude and appreciating the people we still get to celebrate with.
“Gong xi fa cai no longer a formality but as a sincere wish," he said.
In many ways, that same spirit of renewal shaped another milestone in Ceddy’s life where in December, he quietly stepped into a new chapter releasing his debut single, Selangkah.
The move surprised even him.
“I never planned to step into music,” he admits. The journey began almost accidentally, when he enrolled in vocal classes to improve his voice control for hosting. What began as technical training slowly evolved into something more personal.
Selangkah was written by award-winning singer-songwriter Amir Jahari, following an in-depth conversation about Ceddy’s life journey, the personal experiences and emotional struggles that often remain unseen behind the polished image of a public figure.
“This song is not about perfection,” Ceddy says. “It’s about accepting mistakes, learning from them, and continuing to walk, even if the step is small.”
The message feels fitting for a new year.
Just as spring cleaning symbolises clearing space for what’s ahead, Selangkah embraces the idea that progress does not need to be loud or dramatic. Growth can be slow, ealing can be private and movement can be measured.
What matters is that we keep going.
In many ways, Ceddy’s Chinese New Year philosophy and his music share the same heartbeat: presence, reflection, and gratitude for the journey, however imperfect it may be.