Today marks the start of the Chinese New Year. This year is the year of the Ox. The Ox represents strength and confidence in others, something those of us at Glenwood have shown in recent months.
Chinese New Year has been celebrated in China and other Asian cultures for thousands of years. It is also celebrated as part of the Spring festival which allows this holiday to mark the end of the coldest days and allows the people to welcome in the Spring season with planting and new beginnings.
Fireworks are a big tradition to mark the celebrations of Chinese New Year with firecrackers used to scare off bad luck with these being set off at midnight. The following day firecrackers are used again to welcome in the new year with good luck.
Red and gold envelopes which contain money are given during the festival to children from their relatives. The envelopes are a symbolism of good luck and wishes, but it is the red paper which is significant and not the money inside as this represents happiness and blessings to the children receiving them.
There are 12 different Zodiac Signs which the years are named after: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
Find out more about Chinese New Year celebrations and how the years got their names here Chinese and Lunar New Year – CBeebies – BBC
Here are some ideas to try at home with your families:
Miss Chrystal’s Chinese Vegetable Stir Fry
Ingredients:
- Garlic
- Peppers
- Onion
- Baby sweet corn
- Carrots
- Spring onion
- Crushed ginger
- Sunflower oil
- Soy sauce
- Optional Stir fry sauce
- Noodles
Remember to keep stirring!
Enjoy your tasty stir fry – I wonder if you can use chopsticks?
Creating our own firework paintings 
You will need: cardboard tubes, scissors, (paper) plates, different colours of paint, paper
Cut up the cardboard tubes to give a fringe – why not try different lengths.
You can use as many different colours of paint as you wish. Pour your paint onto the plates.
Press the cardboard tube down into the paint and then print your firework onto the paper.
Repeat this process by using all of your colours.
Find more ideas for firework crafts here Firework Crafts – Easy Firework Crafts and Activity Ideas – Science Experiments for Kids (science-sparks.com)
Chinese Lanterns
Can you create your own Chinese lanterns using A4 sheets of paper, glue or sticky tape and scissors.
You can decorate your lanterns using whatever you like. You might like to draw the animals of the zodiac in them using colouring pens or pencils.
Chinese New Year Dancing 
The Lion Dance is an important part of the celebrations – find out more and why not have a go!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/watch/lets-go-club-chinese-lion-dance
Chinese Lion Dance | An introduction (Hello China #39) – YouTube
Don’t forget to let us know how you get on by sharing with us on Google Classroom or Twitter @GlenwoodFC #Glenwoodlearningathome
