Chinese New Year

This year is Cannon's first year in the Chinese Dual Immersion program, so this was also our first time participating in Chinese New Year festivities!

What a fantastic holiday! The first and second graders combined for all of the fun activities. They got the symbol for "Spring" painted on their faces. The Chinese New Year is the symbolic start of Spring. All things new, and leaving bad luck and bad weather behind.

They practiced calligraphy. They learned something new about the holiday with each activity. They "swept away" bad luck. Did you know you're not supposed to clean your house on Chinese New Year's Day? You're not supposed to wash your hair, or say the number 4. Bad Luck if you do!

We also learned you're not supposed to cut your noodles! The longer your noodle, the longer your life!

They got fortune cookies, and watched Mulan - in Chinese, of course. They ate Chinese candies, and oranges, and chocolate coins. They had a chop stick relay race, and wrote good-luck letters.

THEN, the parade!!!! This was especially exciting, because the parents were the ones to pull this part off! We got together in teams, and paper mache'd and painted the heads of a dragon and two lions. Other teams sewed the bodies.

My cute neigbors and I got to work on the dragon. It turned out so fantastic! This is the year of the dragon, and the dragon is also our school mascot, so this is something that will be at our school for years to come.

The kids paraded them all around the school, and everyone loved it! So fun!

At the end of the party, Cannon's cute Chinese teacher gave all the kids red envelopes with a penny and a good luck wish. She is the cutest, most loving teacher, and she has made this year so great for all the kids.

Happy and Prosperous New Year to YOU!