Chinese New Year begins on Monday, February 8th (and runs through February 22nd), and 2016 is the Year of the Monkey. If you’re not familiar with the history and traditions of Chinese New Year, you can read all about Chinese New Year, and then celebrate with crafting, food and lots of fun! Here are a few of my family’s favorite Chinese New Year activities:
These egg carton dragons are a great Chinese New Year craft for kids of all ages, and I love that they utilize recycled materials!
Work together with your entire family to create this impressive paper plate dragon by The Early Years!
Create these quick and easy paper lanterns with your children…
…or try your hand at this pretty and sophisticated version by Lia Griffith!
This Monkey Noisemaker Shaker by Make and Takes is perfect for The Year of the Monkey!
Learn about hong bao, the Chinese red envelope tradition, and print these cute modern envelopes from Design is Yay!
Of course, no Chinese New Year celebration would be complete without food, and these quick and easy snacks by Ling Ling® Asian Kitchen are ready for your celebration in just minutes! I picked up a couple of these Ling Ling products from the freezer section of my local grocery store, and I had our Chinese New Year party platter ready in no time (with hardly any effort at all!)!
My boys are potsticker fanatics, so our Chinese New Year celebrations always include a tray full of Chicken and Vegetable Dumplings and signature dipping sauce. This year we decided to “take a taste adventure,” and we sampled Ling Ling Asian Kitchen Mini Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce, too.
The texture of the rolls were perfectly crisp and flaky straight out of the oven, and the sweet chili dipping sauce was a nice accompaniment.
They’re great for a Chinese New Year snack or as a light lunch or dinner option any time of year!
We always finish off our Chinese New Year meal with fortune cookies, and this year I decided to dip our cookies in red candy melts and top them with a sprinkling of gold edible glitter. Aren’t they pretty?!
They also make great party favors along with our printable “Good Fortune” treat bag toppers!
For even more Chinese New Year ideas and quick and easy meals, be sure to follow Ling Ling on Facebook and Pinterest!
Heidi Kundin has captivated the hearts of millions with her colorful and inspiring approach to crafting, celebrations, and family fun. With over 15 years of experience, Happiness is Homemade has become a must-visit destination for those seeking quick and easy creative ideas and last-minute solutions. Heidi’s warm personality shines through her posts, inviting readers to join her on a creative journey that’s fun, rewarding, and achievable. Heidi is also the author of Homemade Bath Bombs & More and DIY Tie-Dye.