Gung Hay Fat Choy

Happy Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is a holiday that celebrates the beginning of a new year according to the lunar calendar. It is considered to be one of the most important holidays for Chinese families.  People all over the world enjoy in the celebrations - my family too.  Here are some things that I like to do with my kids to celebrate the lunar new year!  

The Chinese Calendar

Children enjoy learning all about the Chinese Zodiac and love to associate themselves with their own special animal - and find about the characteristics which they, their friends and their families are associated with.  Have a look at the Zodiac Calendar to see which animal represents your child’s birth year. 

According to the myths, long time ago, Buddha decided to call all the animals on earth. But only twelve came; the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Rooster,the Dog and the Pig

He was so happy he assigned each of these animals a year on the cycle and children born in that year would get  the personality traits of the animal for that year.

In order to decide their order in the Chinese Zodiac cycle, the animals held a very exciting race. The first one to cross the river would be granted the first year, the second to come in would be the second animal in the cycle, and so on. 

The strong, hardworking Ox was in the lead. Suddenly, the clever Rat, jumped on the Ox's back, he did not even feel the little thing getting a free ride. At the last second before reaching shore, the Rat jumped on land, winning the race! The Ox came in second, the Tiger third, and so it went... the happy-go-lucky Pig took his time and came in last... and the Chinese Zodiac was born...

In China, individual birth dates are not as important as the year in which a person is born. And if you want to know a person's age, you don't ask how old they are, you ask for their Chinese Zodiac animal.

To know which one is yours, look up the year of your birth below and look at the qualities of that animal to see how much of it agrees with you. 

Crafts

Egg-Crate Dragon

It's the year of the dragon!  Have your kids maket their own beasts to celebrate! 

What you'll need:

• Paper egg carton
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Yellow craft paint
• Black craft paint
• Paint brush
• Paint with daubers (or BINGO marking paints); or craft paint and paint brushes
• 7mm Wiggle eyes
• 1/4" White pom-pom balls
• Red felt scrap
• Tacky glue
• 2 Jingle bells (1/2")
• Ribbon (we used 1/4" wide)

How to make it:

1. Cut the cups apart on the egg carton. Even out the edges so the cup will sit evenly upside down on the table.
2. Paint the inside of one cup black for the inside of the mouth. Paint the outside yellow.
3. Using as few or as many cups as you wish, paint the outside of the cups yellow. Let dry.
4. Using the daubers, let the children paint different color dots on the yellow cups. Let dry.
5. Hole punch 2 holes in each cup directly across from each other.
6. Lace the ribbon through the holes to tie the dragon together.
7. Tie a jingle bell on each end of the ribbon.
8. Glue the head on the dragon. Note: You may need to "prop" the head up while it dries.
9. Cut a red tongue out of felt and glue inside of mouth.
10. Glue 2 pom-poms on top of the head and then glue 2 wiggle eyes attaching them to the pom-poms. (see photo) Let dry.
11. If you like, you can add a "leash" through the hole of the dragon to walk it around.

Chinese New Year Fan 

Beautiful paper fans have been used in China since ancient times.  Make a red one if you can. Red is the colour for good luck.

What you'll need:

• 3 sheets red construction paper
• Decorative foam stamps (we chose a swirl and an orange slice)
• Gold acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• Glue stick
• 2 gold chenille stems
• 1 red chenille stem
• 2 gold jumbo craft sticks (optional)

How to make it:

1. Decorate the red paper with gold painted foam stamps. We chose a swirl design as well as an orange. Oranges are symbolic of wealth in Chinese culture. Paint the foam stamps with gold paint and press onto the paper. Let dry completely. 
2. Use a glue stick to attach all three decorated sheets together, end to end lengthwise.
3. Fold red paper accordion style, making the pleats about 1" wide. 
4. Gather all the pleats together and then hold firmly at one end. 
5. Wrap chenille stems around the end that you are holding to form the handle. Begin with gold chenille, then add red, and finish with gold.  
6. This step is optional, but if you prefer a longer handle, you can insert two jumbo craft sticks up inside the gathered handle. Squeeze a little glue into the opening to secure the sticks. Let dry. You can also paint the craft sticks gold or red.

The color red is very prominent in Chinese New Year symbols and decorations. It is believed that red will scare away evil spirits and drive away bad fortune.  

Gold represents prosperity.

Paper Lanterns

What you'll need:

• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Tape
• Stapler
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Glue, glitter, sequins, if desired to decorate your lantern
•  

How to make it:

1. Use your ruler to measure and cut one inch off the short end of your paper. Set aside to use as the handle.
2. Fold your paper in half lengthwise.
3. Draw a line one inch from the end of the long edge of the paper opposite the folded edge. This will be the line where you stop cutting.
4. Measure and mark lines one inch apart starting at the folded edge and moving towards the "stop cutting" line. 
5. Cut on the marked lines up to the "stop cutting" line.
6. Unfold the paper.
7. Re-crease the paper in the opposite direction. This will hide any pencil marks.
8. Match the long edges together on the lantern and use tape to hold it in place.
9. Staple the handle to the top of the lantern. (see photo)
10. Make as many lanterns as you wish and display them around your home.
11. If you wish, add glue, glitter, sequins or other things to decorate your lanterns.

Food

Most of the dishes served during Lunar New Year  are symbolic of something positive and hopeful. Chicken and fish, for example, symbolize happiness and prosperity--especially when served whole. Dishes made with oranges represent wealth and good fortune because they are China's most plentiful fruit. Noodles represent longevity: therefore, they should never be cut!Duck symbolizes fidelity, while eggs signify fertility.Bean curd or tofu, however, is avoided because its white color suggests death and misfortune.

Try some of these lucky Chinese dishes for a prosperous year to come:

Egg Drop Soup 

1 egg

2 ½ Cups Chicken Broth

1 Tbsp. Corn starch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water

1 tsp. finely chopped tops of green onions

Pinch of white pepper

Dash of sesame oil

In a small bowl, beat egg slightly; set aside. Bring chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add corn starch mixture to the broth stirring until it comes to a boil again. Reduce heat to medium-low. Hold the pan with beaten egg about 12 to 15” above the pan and slowly pour egg into the pan while stirring in one direction. Remove pan from heat after egg is poured. Sprinkle soup with green onion, pepper and sesame oil.

Chinese Egg Roll Salad 

1 bag of coleslaw mix with carrots

1 cup of leftover cooked meat either chicken pork or beef

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce

1 Tsp garlic powder

10 large egg roll wrappers cut into long strips

1 green onion

Sweet and sour sauce or duck sauce

4 Tbsp vegetable oil

In large frying pan heat oil; slowly add egg roll wrappers fry until crispy set aside on paper towel to drain. Add coleslaw mixture to frying pan then add meat and soy and teriyaki sauce and garlic powder; stir until warmed through. Place salad into serving bowl topped with crispy egg roll wrappers and chopped green onion. Serve warm with Sweet and Sour sauce or duck sauce to taste.

Chinese Fried Rice 

3 cups cooked leftover cold rice

1 cup of cooked chicken, pork, or beef cut up in bite size pieces

1 egg

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce

1 tsp, garlic powder

1 green onion chopped

1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots mix

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Black pepper to taste.

Add oil In wok or frying pan over med add cold rice after oil is hot, continually stirring for about 3 minutes; add frozen peas and carrots, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and garlic powder continue stirring until vegetables are tender about 10 minutes. Add cooked meat stir for another 3-4 min or until meat is warmed through. scramble egg in a bowl, push all of the rice mixture to one side of pan or wok slowly add the egg to the empty space in pan scramble until cooked through then mix together with rest of rice mixture. Add green onion and black pepper to taste.

Do you have any great ideas for celebrating Chinese New Years?  Share with us below.