The diversity of cultures in Singapore means there is always a festival around the corner. Among these are those that celebrate new starts, whether calendar or spiritual refreshes. New Year's Day or Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa or Deepavali - family and friends make the effort to gather and mark the event. The rituals may vary but there are also customs that bind us together. That in itself is something to celebrate. This set of Festival stamps features essence of the celebration of new starts among the different cultures in Singapore.

CELEBRATING NEW STARTS IN SINGAPORE "Huat ah!" The cries ushering in prosperity for the Chinese New Year start ringing out on the eve, when Chinese families throughout Singapore gather for the all-important reunion dinner. The Lunar event is often marked by frenetic spring-cleaning beforehand, to make room for new luck. Red and gold are colours of the season, used in apparel and house décor alike. Visits to relatives and friends continue until the 15th day, as red packets (ang pow) stuffed with cash are given and a great many sweetmeats are downed. A beloved local tradition is the communal tossing of the salad-like yusheng for luck.

The Malays in Singapore celebrate a different kind of new start, with Hari Raya Puasa signalling the end of the Ramadan fasting month and the start of the Eid festival. It is a holy day with themes of repentance and forgiveness, a seeking of peace; and so the family reunion is a highlight. Already, kith and kin would have rallied round kitchens in the days before to prepare generous feasts; now entire families, dressed in beautifully coordinated new baju, create a visual treat as they head out for their festive visits. Fellowship and food are then the order of the day, in homes painstakingly decorated (the colour green is often used to represent purity). It is a joyous time indeed.

Often mistaken for the Indian new year, Deepavali actually celebrates the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil - a spiritual new start. In Singapore, this Festival of Lights is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, usually with the lighting of little lamps at the doorway to the home the night before. Mesmerising coloured-rice flour designs also carpet the entrance, these kolam and rangoli inviting blessing from deities. Rituals on the day might include taking oil baths or applying oil to the head, before morning prayers at the temple. Dressed in their best saris and kurtas, the community then enjoys visits at each other's homes, exchanging gifts and, of course, partaking in sumptuous spreads.

There is, naturally, the calendar New Year, which is as good an excuse to party as any, and who loves a party more than the Eurasians? With music and dance closely tied to their culture, the New Year celebrations can be very merry affairs, whether a family gathering or lavish do. This being Singapore, there will be, too, the expected bounty of an indulgent table. Great warmth and hospitality mark the holiday - a cheerful start to the year.

Let's celebrate the richness and vibrancy of the different culture in Singapore with this set of Festival stamps that marks the new starts of every community.