Chinese New Year 2012

Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival is the most important of the Chinese traditional holidays. We recognize and celebrate this holiday together as a family and with friends to respect the cultural heritage of Sylvie and Mary (plus we're always up for a party!).

Since the Spring Festival is just over a two weeks long, we don't worry so much about celebrating on a specific day, but rather do many things over the fifteen days. Some of the traditions that we have incorporated into our family over the past three years include:

• Spending time with family or friends, usually over a meal 

• Getting hair cuts and new clothes for the New Year to represent a fresh start 

• Cleaning the house just before the celebrations begin to "sweep out the bad luck" and allowing the good luck to enter

• We decorate the house with paper lanterns and fire crackers on the front door 

• Handing out red envelops (lai see) with money in them to children, along with some chocolate coins as well

In past years we have also gotten together as a large group with other families who have adopted children from China who live in the Okanagan. However, this year there was not a lunch and celebration organized. We did miss getting to see the many other families, so maybe next year we can see about trying to get another one organized.

Luckily we did get together with The Dennis Family for a lunch out to local Chinese restaurant. It has been very special watching the girls grow up together and slowly develop a little friendship. My girls also L.O.V.E. Miah's older sisters and often ask about when we will see them next (and if they will share playing the games on the IPhone). Can you believe we didn't even get one picture of the group of us for lunch? Or well...next year. 

I wish Miah would teach Sylvie and Mary how to be photogenic for the camera! Good thing they are cute. 

I made up some little gift boxes for all the kids for lunch to keep them busy. Last year I had ordered a bunch of decorations and craft from Oriental Trading company, but with Mary's surgery we didn't get a chance to celebrate or even open the box. So it was quite fun putting together the boxes, and I think the kids enjoyed them.

Lunch ended up being close to two hours, but we didn't realize how long it had been until we were back in the truck heading home - thank goodness for felts and coloring pages! Cory and I were so impressed with how well all the girls did in the restaurant.
 

Fire crackers on our front door...

Some paper lanterns we hung around the house from the ceiling...

And some light up ones in the window...

Hope you had a great Spring Festival, I know we did... Gung Hay Fat Choi!