02/06/2005: "Dumplings Celebrates Chinese New Year"

After cutting up 20 red envelope templates, 40 firecracker squares, 80 dragon body strips at the planning meeting on Thursday, the Dumplings celebration of Chinese New Year this Saturday (Feb. 5, 2005) was a great success. Beginning with a zodiac game, parents, kids and the volunteers all had a fun imitating their respective zodiac signs. There was a lot of “cock-a-doodling” since 2005 is the year of the rooster! Dumplings then split into different groups and rotated between three stations to make (non-explosive) firecrackers, dragons, and red envelopes. Storytelling featured “Nian,” a traditional tale about why children love to play with firecrackers for New Year. Dumplings concluded with the kids enjoying Chinese treats, such as rice crackers and egg rolls, playing with their accordion dragons, and showing off colorful firecrackers. They especially enjoyed practicing saying “Happy New Year” to get a piece of candy for their newly created red envelopes. At the end of 2 hours, the girls learned a little more about Chinese New Year and brought home dragons, firecrackers and red envelopes to mark another new year.