5 Facts about Chinese New Year

My family celebrates Chinese New Year every year. My husband is Chinese and this is a HUGE holiday for his side of the family.

My kids love celebrating with their cousins. They especially love it when it’s their zodiac year.

Here are some fun facts about Chinese New Year to share with your kids:

  • There are 12 zodiac  animals:  RatOxTigerRabbitDragon, SnakeHorseGoatMonkeyRoosterDogPig
  • Chinese New Year follows the Lunar Calendar so the date changes every year.
  • Chinese New Year dinner is the most important part of Chinese New Year. This is when entire families get together to celebrate and share a large meal together.
  • Elders give children red envelopes during Chinese New Year. Money is stuffed in the red envelopes and is believed to give good luck to those who receive them. This tradition is often referred to as “lucky money”.
  • Cleaning is done before Chinese New Year to get ready for a new year.

chinese red envelopes

Every year I decorate my classroom and my children decorate at home. We usually do an easy Chinese New Year banner with the zodiac sign of that year.

Check out my step by step instructions on how to make a Chinese New Year banner.

chinese new year craft

I’d love to know, do you celebrate Chinese New Year? What traditions do you do with your family?

 

23 Comments

  1. We celebrate by heading out for a good meal, and a visit to the local Chinese Community Centre to take in the shows

  2. This Chines New Year seems to be a special time of the year . I will have to celebrate with them in the future for sure.

  3. These are beautiful cards! We don’t celebrate Chinese New Year. We celebrate the Canadian Holidays! One family tradition is BBQ ribs for Easter Dinner.

  4. We just celebrate the standard Canadian holidays: Christmas, New Years Eve, Easter, Thanksgiving and Family Day but I have to say it looks festive and fun too!!

  5. This year I have been celebrating Chinese New Year with my students.
    We have made dragons and lanterns.
    A red and gold playdough with accessories but the biggest favourite is our sensory bin.

  6. Their Chinese New Year sounds like a great celebration although we have never
    participated.We do get together for meals for every celbration and holiday here in Canada.

  7. We have never celebrated Chinese New Year and I don’t remember my children Celebrating it at school. Sounds like a great celebration!

  8. I don’t celebrate the Chinese New Year, just celebrate the standard Canadian holidays: Christmas, New Years Eve, Easter, Thanksgiving and Family Day.

    Reply

  9. We do fun fact days with the grandkids where we research a topic and we talk about it’s really fun,we take turns choosing a topic.This week i choose Chinese New Year and we all read you post,it was a fun day.

  10. This is great! I used to teach elementary school, now I homeschool. Every December/January I do a Holidays Around the World unit (did when I was teaching in the classroom, still do in homeschooling). Chinese New Year is one of the holidays we cover! This is helpful for that! 🙂

  11. We don’t celebrate it but we do live just north of a small neighbourhood in Toronto with a high concentration of chinese businesses. I should check if they’re doing anything!

  12. I have never celebrated Chinese New Year; but am helping out with a classroom next week where the day is dedicated to Chinese New Year! Now I am excited about it. I want to learn more!

  13. We just celebrate our Easter, July 1st, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years with a family dinner. It’s always interesting to hear about other cultural celebrations.

  14. I celebrate all of the traditional Canadian holidays with my family like Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, New Years eve and we get together and share a big meal.

  15. No, we don’t celebrate Chinese New Year here but my daughter in Australia does as her husband if from Vietnam originally. I was actually in Vietnam during the celebrations there, it was so much fun.

  16. I love their New Year and I love that you get the kids involved as well, something for them to learn about!!

  17. I don’t celebrate Chinese New Year but I do celebrate the usual Canadian holidays like Christmas, New Years Eve, Easter, Thanksgiving etc.

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