I’m a bad homeschool mom. I don’t know it’s National Chocolate Cake Day or Lewis Carroll’s birthday until I notice a spate of chocolate cake or Alice in Wonderland photos in my Instagram feed. I’m totally willing to skip minor holidays I do know are coming soon, like Presidents Day, because we learn about US presidents every day. As for the banks-are-open micro holidays, my kids have never heard of Punxsutawney Phil and we usually make our annual pot of Mardi Gras gumbo on Vendredi because I’m the type of person who deeply appreciates that every Target ad after Valentine’s Day warns me that Easter Sunday is March 27th.
However, I’m blessed with an incredibly crafty, creative daughter who makes every day a party and loves to celebrate all holidays big and small. The day I packed up Christmas, she cut out three dozen hearts and made valentines for everyone in the house and decorated the mantel with them. You see my problem.
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Today is Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year. I would have gotten away with skipping it except the kids found out about it watching the Superbowl last night.
This morning, Jameson handed me this note:
Dear Mom…. May♥ you♥ please help me make fourtune cookies?
My fortune reads: You have loveing kids.
Love, Jameson
Who would refuse?
How To Celebrate Chinese New Year with Kids
All you need for a party is dessert and a movie!
Dessert: Fortune Cookies
- You can grab fortune cookies at any grocery store if you’re really pressed for time, but if your kids love to bake, make fortune cookies from scratch! It’s not that hard (really), and it’s not that messy (really). Jameson made 20 fortune cookies in one hour, including writing the fortunes.
- On Craftivities for Kids, get Jameson’s free printable fortunes for homemade fortune cookies and the fortune cookies recipe she used.
Movie: Mulan
- Everybody loves Mulan, even big boys, because Mulan is tough. And, as Jefferson always points out when Disney lumps her in with Ariel and Elsa under the Disney Princess banner, Mulan is NOT a princess!
- If you don’t own a copy, you can rent Mulan on Amazon (and if you use my trick to get free movies with Amazon Prime, you can watch it free!). If you’ve seen Mulan one too many times, watch Mulan II.
Chinese New Year Impromptu Party Bonus Points:
- Do you have leftover poppers or firecrackers from New Year’s Eve (or 4th of July)? Now they’re Chinese fireworks.
- To make any combination of veggies, meat, and noodles taste like Chinese food, add ginger, garlic, and soy sauce.
For more family friendly ideas, join the Family Joy Blog Link Party!
There you go, a last minute Chinese New Year celebration!
