The peacock in Peranakan culture symbolises beauty, prosperity, and high status. Influenced by Chinese traditions and Southeast Asian aesthetics, it appears widely in Peranakan art and design—such as embroidery, ceramics, tiles, and wedding decorations—where its rich colors and elegant form express refinement, good fortune, and a flourishing household.
Unwrap the magic of the season, one skein at time.
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King of Flowers |
Blissful Day 2 75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 10% Bronze Stellina |
| In Peranakan tradition, the peony is regarded as the “King of Flowers.” This symbolism comes from classical Chinese culture, where the peony represents wealth, prosperity, honour, and beauty. The Peranakans adopted this meaning and incorporated the flower widely into their decorative arts. As a result, peony motifs appear on Nyonya porcelain, batik sarongs, beaded slippers, embroidery, and wedding items, reflecting the community’s appreciation for elegance and auspicious symbolism. | Butterflies on Peranakan kamcheng are more than just decorative motifs—they symbolise a blissful life, filled with joy, romance, and harmonious energy. Their graceful presence represents light-hearted happiness and the gentle flow of good fortune within the home. Often painted alongside flowers on these cherished porcelain jars, butterflies embody the Peranakan belief that true bliss comes from beauty, love, and abundance passed warmly through generations. |
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Prosperity
Day 3 75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 5% Silver Stellina
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Purple Orchid II
Day 4
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 5% Silver Stellina
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The colour orange is a warm, vibrant hue that blends the energy of red with the brightness of yellow, symbolising joy, vitality, and celebration. Often associated with sunlight, ripened fruit, and festive warmth, orange evokes feelings of creativity and optimism. In many Asian traditions, including Peranakan-influenced customs, orange is closely linked to prosperity and good fortune—reflected most notably in the gifting of mandarin oranges during the Lunar New Year as tokens of abundance and success. Its lively presence in textiles, ceramics, and decorative arts makes it a colour that naturally draws attention, uplifts spaces, and conveys a welcoming sense of thriving prosperity.
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The purple orchid is a cherished motif in Peranakan batik, celebrated for its elegance, rarity, and graceful form. Rendered in rich purples - colours associated with dignity, beauty, and refinement - the orchid complements the vibrant palettes typical of Nyonya textiles. In Peranakan artistry, the orchid symbolises charm, resilience, and a flourishing life, making it a meaningful choice for sarongs, kebayas, and decorative fabrics. Its flowing petals and intricate details blend seamlessly with the ornate floral patterns that define Peranakan batik, creating designs that feel both culturally rooted and strikingly timeless.
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Butterfly Pea Flower
Day 5
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 5% Gold Stellina
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Purple Orchid I
Day 6
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 5% Gold Stellina |
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Butterfly pea flower, or bunga telang, holds a distinctive place in Peranakan culture, especially in the realm of food heritage. Its vivid natural blue dye is traditionally used to colour signature Nyonya kueh such as pulut tai tai, kueh salat, and pulut inti, giving these delicacies their iconic marbled or jewel-toned hues. Beyond aesthetics, the flower reflects the Peranakan appreciation for beauty, delicacy, and craftsmanship, echoing the rich colours found in Nyonya porcelain, beadwork, and kebaya embroidery. In some households, bunga telang was also used in simple home remedies or herbal teas, reflecting the syncretic blend of Malay and Chinese influences in Peranakan domestic practices. Today, its continued use preserves culinary tradition while symbolizing the community’s enduring cultural identity.
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In Peranakan culture, the purple orchid is admired as a symbol of beauty, refinement, and prosperity, reflecting values that resonate strongly with the community’s aesthetic sense. While not as central as motifs like phoenixes or peonies, the orchid appears frequently in Peranakan decorative arts — including porcelain ware, embroidery, beadwork, and kebaya motifs — where it represents elegance, femininity, and dignified grace. Purple orchids, in particular, are associated with luxury and status, complementing the Peranakan love for vivid colours and intricate craftsmanship. In some households, orchids were also kept as prized ornamental plants, signifying good taste and cultural sophistication. Overall, the purple orchid aligns well with the Peranakan emphasis on beauty, artistry, and the celebration of cultural identity.
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Beauty
Day 7
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 5% Gold Stellina
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Empress
Day 8
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 10% Bronze Stellina |
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The phoenix, a prominent symbol in Peranakan culture, represents femininity, virtue, elegance, and high status, appearing frequently on Nyonya kebayas, jewellery, and decorative arts. Its association with grace and refinement aligns closely with the Peranakan ideal of beauty, which values meticulous craftsmanship, vivid colours, and artistic sophistication in everything from textiles and beadwork to porcelain and domestic décor. Together, the phoenix and the cultural emphasis on beauty reflect the Peranakan community’s deep appreciation for aesthetic excellence and the celebration of a refined, cultivated way of life.
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The phoenix in Peranakan culture carries deep symbolic weight, blending Chinese imperial mythology with the unique artistry of the Straits-born community. Traditionally representing the Empress in Chinese cosmology, the phoenix was embraced by Peranakan families as a symbol of feminine nobility, grace, and ancestral prestige. It appears on intricately beaded kebaya, wedding crowns, porcelain, and gold filigree jewelry, elevating the bride or matriarch to an Empress-like status within the household. Through this fusion, the phoenix becomes more than a mythic bird—it becomes a cultural emblem of Peranakan identity, celebrating the strength, elegance, and heritage of Nyonya women.
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Day 9
Yellow Chrysanthemum
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 5% Gold Stellina
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Day 10
Fidelity
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 10% Bronze Stellina
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In Peranakan culture, the chrysanthemum symbolises longevity, resilience, and refined beauty, reflecting influences from Chinese tradition. It appears frequently in Nyonya porcelain, beadwork, and kebaya embroidery, where its layered petals represent enduring grace and quiet strength. As a motif, it complements the Peranakan love for intricate craftsmanship and vibrant floral designs.
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Butterflies symbolise fidelity and devoted love, often appearing in Nyonya porcelain and kebaya embroidery as gentle companions to floral motifs. Their light, graceful movement reflects the joy of harmonious relationships, while their presence conveys hopes for loyalty, affection, and lasting partnership within the Peranakan household.
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Day 11
Grace
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 5% Gold Stellina
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Day 12
Ondeh Ondeh
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 10% Bronze Stellina |
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In Peranakan culture, the phoenix is a powerful emblem of grace, beauty, and feminine virtue. Frequently seen in Nyonya kebaya embroidery, porcelain wares, and wedding textiles, the phoenix symbolizes the ideal qualities of a Peranakan woman—elegance, refinement, and harmonious strength. Paired often with flowers like peonies or with the dragon during wedding ceremonies, the phoenix represents both auspiciousness and the graceful presence believed to bring prosperity to the household.
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Ondeh-ondeh is a beloved Peranakan (and wider Malay/Indonesian) kuih made of soft, chewy glutinous rice dough flavored with pandan. Each bite-sized ball is filled with molten gula melaka (palm sugar) that bursts in the mouth, and the outside is rolled in freshly grated coconut for fragrance and texture. In Peranakan culture, ondeh-ondeh is cherished not just as a sweet treat but as a symbol of warmth, hospitality, and the joy of sharing traditional delicacies during gatherings and festive occasions.
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Day 13
Peacock Power
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 10% Bronze Stellina
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Day 14
Lion Dog
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 5% Gold Stellina |
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The lion dog on a Peranakan kamcheng is a symbol of protection, power, and good fortune. It represents the Chinese guardian lion, believed to guard the household from harm, attract prosperity, and signify status. In Peranakan culture, such kamchengs were prized heirlooms, often included in wedding dowries and displayed to show wealth, fertility, and family continuity.
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Day 16
Pink Lotus
75% SWM, 15% Nylon & 5% Gold Stellina |
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In Peranakan porcelain, the pink lotus symbolises purity, fertility, harmony, and good fortune. It is often painted among scrolling leaves or paired with auspicious motifs like birds or fish, especially on wedding wares, to convey blessings for a virtuous marriage, many descendants, and a prosperous household. |
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Day 18 |
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Kueh dardar, also known as kuih ketayap, is a traditional Peranakan and Malay kuih commonly found in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It consists of a soft green pandan-flavoured crêpe that is filled with sweet grated coconut cooked in gula melaka, then neatly rolled into a cylinder. The kuih is fragrant from pandan leaves, rich with the caramel-like sweetness of palm sugar, and has a soft, slightly chewy texture, making it a popular snack or dessert enjoyed at any time of the day. |
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Day 20 |
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In Peranakan culture, orchids in tiles and porcelain hold symbolic and aesthetic significance, reflecting a blend of Chinese, Malay, and European influences. Orchid motifs are commonly found on Peranakan porcelain (nyonya ware) and decorative tiles used in traditional homes, where they represent elegance, refinement, and prosperity. The intricate floral designs showcase the Peranakans’ appreciation for nature, artistry, and meticulous craftsmanship. These orchid-adorned tiles and porcelain pieces were often used in important spaces such as reception areas and kitchens, serving both practical purposes and as expressions of cultural identity, status, and heritage. |
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Day 22 |
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Orange and yellow are considered auspicious and joyful colours, symbolising warmth, prosperity, and happiness. Orange represents energy, vitality, and good fortune, and is commonly seen in kebaya embroidery, beaded slippers, and decorative motifs to create a lively and welcoming atmosphere. Yellow symbolises wealth, status, and blessings, drawing from traditional Chinese beliefs where it is linked to honour and positivity. It often appears in ceremonial clothing, wedding items, and Peranakan ceramics. Together, these colours reflect a preference for bright, cheerful tones that celebrate prosperity, harmony, and a hopeful future. |
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Day 24 |
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Kueh salat is a traditional Peranakan dessert made of two distinct layers: a base of glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and a top layer of smooth pandan-flavoured custard. The bottom layer is slightly salty and chewy, while the custard is sweet, creamy, and fragrant, creating a balanced contrast of flavours. It is usually steamed, cut into small squares, and enjoyed as an afternoon snack or during festive occasions in Singapore and Malaysia. |
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