We had to go through the traditions.. 过大礼is normally done a couple of weeks before the actual wedding where the groom's family will bring a whole lot of things (canned pig trotters, bottles of liquor, oranges, etc etc) and the bride's family was supposed to accept these gifts and give back some other gifts in return. And then there's supposed to be all these praying and offerings to ancestors, etc. But, being Christians, Calvin and I have requested to do away with it. My mom has agreed, on the condition that we go through the formality of giving her a token and receiving this lot of "ang gong gong" 嫁妆. Look at them!! wahaha... everything supposed to signify something. Calvin and I got a shock when we saw them laid out on my mom's table. My mom said actually there were supposed to be a whole lot more. But she only bought the basics... wonder what else there could have been?????

Well well, shocked as we were, we gladly brought all the "goodies" home, knowing in our hearts that my mom meant well and that she went through a lot of trouble putting them together. The beautiful heart of a mother.