Tag Archives: Chinese New year

Chinese New Year Fun

Gong Hey Fat Choy! Happy 4710! You don’t have to be Chinese or have Chef Chu’s on speed dial in order to celebrate this festive event.  Today kicks off Chinese New Year, a holiday commemorated with fireworks, feasts and plenty of family fun. Chinese New Year is celebrated for 15 days until the Chinese Lantern Festival.  This gives you two full weeks to ring in the Year of the Snake with your loved ones.  Even kids can get in on the action by creating these simple and affordable Chinese New Year-themed crafts: Dancing Lion:  If you can’t make it to … Continue reading →

Make Your Own Chinese New Year Dishes

Mark your calendars–this year Chinese New Year begins on February 7th. Which means you have exactly one week to finalize your party menu… or make dinner reservations at your favorite Chinese restaurant. Actually, the point of this blog is to encourage the former instead of the latter, more convenient option. I grew up in Hawaii where Chinese New Year is celebrated with huge block parties featuring massive buffet tables lined with the most delicious homemade Chinese delicacies. Growing up my favorite Chinese New Year treat was Soy Zing Dan Gow, a steamed Chinese sponge cake that is specifically made for … Continue reading →

Celebrating Chinese New Year in Hawaii

Maybe it’s because I was born in Hawaii. Or, perhaps, it’s because I was born in the Year of the Rat. Either way I can’t think of any place else I would rather celebrate Chinese New Year than in Honolulu. The Year of the Rat doesn’t officially start until February 7th, but the party is already underway in Honolulu’s Chinatown. The “Month in Chinatown” cultural celebration kicked off tonight. Take a look at all of the FREE events open to the public and then click on the links I’ve provided below to read more about the place where tourists and … Continue reading →

Mickey and Minnie Go High Fashion

My 3-year-old daughter will be the first to remind any one that Mickey is a mouse—-not a rat. As such, he should never be confused with Remy, the rat from Ratatouille (despite the fact that the people who made Remy—-Disney PIXAR–are the same ones who breathe life into his popular bi-coastal rodent cousin). My daughter’s rodent lecture came about when I shared with her the news that Mickey and Minnie Mouse just got “new, fancy clothes for Chinese New Year.” I should have just stopped there. But I made the mistake of adding that according to the Chinese Zodiac, 2008 … Continue reading →

Easy Paper Lanterns

I’ve noticed a few decorations for Chinese New Year in the party stores and craft stores this year. I think that’s cool, but we still like to make our own simple decorations. Making a paper lantern is very easy. It’s a fun decoration and fits in with celebrating Chinese New Year and The Festival of Lanterns. Or it can be just for fun. Even young children can make this simple fold and cut project. Take a piece of construction paper and fold it in half so that the two shorter ends are touching. In school we call this a “taco” … Continue reading →

Celebrating Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is one of our favorite holidays. I should explain that I’m not even remotely Chinese, and neither is my husband. But we still celebrate Chinese New Year. We started about six years ago. My oldest son learned about China and this celebration while he was in 2nd grade. We didn’t know what we were doing, but we celebrated anyway. And the second year we even got the date wrong! In the years since then, we’ve learned some things. You are supposed to start the new year off with a clean house. But you don’t clean house for … Continue reading →

Celebrating Your Child’s Heritage

If you adopt internationally, you will probably want to help your children feel pride in their national heritage. We do need to emphasize our children’s similarities to us and our unity as a family, and our American citizenship. But most adult adoptees report that they felt different from others anyway, especially if they lived in a non-diverse community, and wished they had been taught to take pride in their country of origin and its people. Larger adoption agencies often sponsor cultural events, picnics for families with children from a certain culture, and a family weekend “culture day” or “culture camp” … Continue reading →

Lunar New Year

Many adoptive families choose to celebrate the heritage of their children’s birth country. China, Korea and Vietnam account for large numbers of international adoptions. Those countries, along with Japan and others, celebrate Lunar New Year. This date fluctuates every year but always occurs in late January or in February at the time of the new moon. Some customs common in China include cleaning the house on New Year’s Eve, wearing new clothes New Year’s Day, giving children money in red envelopes (red is the color of good luck), firecrackers and fireworks shows, and parades featuring dragons and the lion dance. … Continue reading →

Seasonal Travel–Where To Celebrate Chinese New Year

If you can’t make it to Hong Kong to ring in the Chinese New Year don’t despair. Several cities throughout North America are hosting events and activities to celebrate the year of the Boar. This year Chinese New Year begins on February 18th and runs through March 4th. If you live in the United States you can leave your passport at home and enjoy the following parades and festivals in the following cities: NEW YORK What: Firecracker Ceremony & Cultural Festival When: Sunday, February 18, 2007 Where: Chatham Square (Intersection of Bowery, Mott & East Broadway) The event features all-day … Continue reading →