The picture that I posted on Facebook yesterday coincided with the last day of the celebration of the Chinese New Year. We have often had our own little celebration during the Chinese New Year to expose the kids to other cultures and to break up the winter dull drums that often happen in February. The black and red on the doors went along harmoniously with the color scheme that was going on inside our Family room since red is the color of the New Year.2013 is the Year of the Snake. “How do you know that?” you ask. Our youngest son who turns 12 this year and has been participating in these little celebrations for all of his years now is a snake. Not literally, but in the Chinese Zodiac and this is HIS year! He has seen each one of us have “our year” since the last time it was the year of the snake was the year he was born. It is really fun to figure out what animal you are due to your birth year and then comment on wether or not you truly exhibit the personality of those animals that have been ascertained eons ago in the zodiac. So it is finally his year and we are celebrating! (even though I cannot stand snakes…probably goes back to the day when I was 14 and we were cleaning out a huge pile of straw that had been left in the vacant barn for 3 years prior to us moving in. Have you ever dug into a pile of straw with a pitchfork before to uncover nests upon nests of black snakes???
Could have been a horror movie. So I am scarred for life and my youngest child is a snake.)

Sorry to digress. I have collected over the years, decorations from a variety of sources for an abundance of holidays. (I think that I have already revealed that I am a self confirmed holiday freak!)

The party stores, after the holiday’s have passed, are a great place to collect these goodies. Online ordering sites like Oriental Trading has a wealth of supplies and novelties at inexpensive prices that you can use from year to year. It truly takes no more than a half an hour to assemble your goodies, hang the kids past art work (if they have any) and call for take out! I usually have red plates on hand from Valentine’s Day or gold from Christmas as well as cups so they go on the table to complete the look. Ask for Chop Sticks if your local chinese restaurant does not give any with their orders as well as the paper place mats that they usually have. Often times these place mats depict the Chinese Zodiac and the banter that these bring forth is entertaining in its own right. Most Asian restaurants give you Fortune Cookies with your order, so those are really fun to open up and read after dinner!

Hit your local Dollar Store or Five Below to grab some Asian goodies such as the rice paper candies…

and the Japanese sodas.

Not traditional, but a fun touch never the less and one that I would normally not indulge in so the kids look forward to it.

In that box of goodies labeled “Chinese New Years” that I keep with all of my other holiday boxes, I find the least inexpensive decor of all for the festivities….the kid’s past art work and projects that coincide with the holiday. I try and hang them up where they will be seen and they always elicit the most amusing comments!