Don't want to give flowers to a graduate? How about a roast duck instead

Independent Singapore

16-05-2025

SINGAPORE: A recent Singapore Polytechnic graduate could not stop laughing when, after her ceremony, in lieu of getting the traditional bouquet of flowers, she was given instead a whole roast duck and some bitter gourd.
Yes. You read that correctly. A. Whole. Roast. Duck. The unusual bouquet has set the bar for relatives and friends all over Singapore.
The graduate's reaction to her unusual gift was captured in a video on TikTok on May 7, which has since been viewed nearly half a million times.
'BEST BOUQUET EVER,' the caption on @tr1c14_ 's video reads. @tr1c14_
BEST BOUQUET EVER🦆💐 #classof2025 #graduation #fyp
♬ sad SpongeBob music – michael
A report in AsiaOne has identified the graduate only as 'Tricia', a 22-year-old who recently finished her Business Administration studies. She said that the unusual bouquet had been a gift from three friends. And while the bitter gourd did not come as a surprise since she had been asked which vegetable she liked least.
The whole roast duck, however, was a different story, and shows how well her friends know her, because it is one of her favourite things to eat.
While the 'bouquet' had been meant as a prank between good friends, at least she, together with family and friends, enjoyed it heartily afterward.
Many commenters on the video seemed to enjoy the joke as much as the graduate and her friends did, finding it 'catchy,' 'unique,' and 'better than flowers.'
'She said she wanted Rose! I thought she meant Roast!' joked one.
'Omg lmao all you need now is some sticky rice,' a TikTok user joked.
'Heck yes!! Give me a roast duck,' a commenter wrote, while one chimed in with '(for real) the best bouquet congrats girl!!'
'This would've made my graduation worth attending,' one wrote, and another said it was, 'my type of bouquet.'
One suggested that we should 'normalize roast over roses' for bouquets.
'Great idea!! I'm getting it for my nephew at his graduation,' wrote another.
Another celebrated with Tricia, writing, 'girls enjoying her day and her bouquet…haters can hate, but girl graduated!!!!'
One said they envied the bouquet, writing, 'Girl I would be so jealous you got a whole roast duck. Do you know how expensive a whole duck is now?'
To this, Tricia replied, 'forever grateful to my friends!!'
Well, all we can say is who wouldn't want a roast duck on any occasion? Congratulations, Tricia! /TISG
Read also: Singapore's graduates trapped – High hopes, low pay, and a cost-of-living crisis