Goodies no enough? Netizens chime in on NDP 2022 packs

Tell us you're Singaporean without actually telling us you're Singaporean.

How about grumbling online about the supposed lack of quality freebies given out at a celebration of your nation's independence?

On Monday (July 4), TikTok user Cecilialsm shared a lighthearted haul video of the goodie bag she had received at a rehearsal for National Day Parade (NDP) 2022. However, the video sparked some complaints from TikTok users, who shared their thoughts in the comments section.

From here on out, we'll be revealing some items found in the goodie bag so take this as a spoiler alert, just in case you're looking forward to the full experience.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@cecilialsm/video/7116018105419042049[/embed]

All items come in a white tote bag with a cartoon drawing of four characters holding hands. No prizes for guessing the colours that feature prominently on the bag.

First out of the bag was the nation's beloved Newater, now in a carton instead of a plastic bottle. 

Other perishable items include Khong Guan biscuits, Calbee prawn crackers and Sunshine bread.

The theme of nostalgia was pretty clear but some netizens felt like this year's goodie bag was simply not up to the mark.

"Where is the legendary discount booklet?" one netizen asked.

For those who are disappointed by the missing discount booklet, a netizen actually spotted it in QR code format in the video.

Even then, a different TikTok user replied that "we kinda prefer the booklet".

You can't please everyone, it seems.

For those of you who've been to an NDP rehearsal, you'd know that sticker tattoos add to the whole experience.

In the video, Cecilialsm confirmed sticker tattoos are part of this year's NDP goodie bags.

Unfortunately, others in the comments section claimed that they did not receive any. AsiaOne has reached out to the NDP organisers for more information.

To be fair, it wasn't all doom and gloom as some netizens were pumped up about a few items.

One TikTok user even asked where they could get the entire goodie bag from. 

If you're a little puzzled at these comments, 'W' is a popular internet term referring to "win", according to Popbuzz.

Despite the complaints, it seems that this years' pack actually has more items than last year's. Cecilialsm's goodie bag has nine items excluding the QR code vouchers, while last year's NDP pack had four.

For NDP 2021, organisers had worked with green groups to find ways of making the parade as environmentally sustainable as possible.

This included efforts to ensure that the NDP goodie bags were durable and environmentally friendly, The Straits Times reported. With prudence in mind, there were fewer items in the 2021 packs, Brigadier-General Tan Cheng Kwee, the chairman of the parade's executive committee had said. 

In previous years, NDP packs have contained an average of 20 to 25 items. 

ALSO READ: Adrian Pang to direct NDP for the first time

amierul@asiaone.com