2. CHINESE NEW YEAR By Jean Hsiao

3. LAP BAK It is the start of celebrations for the Chinese New Year—the eighth day of the last lunar month. It is the time when the weather becomes cold. On this day people eat a special hot rice soup with nuts, dried lotus, seeds, red beans, dried dates and so on (non meat). Does your mom make Lap Bak this day? How do you like it and how does it taste?

4. KITCHEN GOD’S DAY On the 24 th day of the last lunar month, the kitchen god returns to heaven to give a report to the Jade Emperor about the family’s activities over the past year. From the 24 th the kitchen god will be absent and he will be back on New Year’s Eve. Does your family worship the God that night? What kind of food is needed ?

5. NIAN- THE NEW YEAR MONSTER It is said that Nian was a monster. It came to scare and kill people about the time of the Chinese New Year. The emperor sent a wise man to solve this problem. The man said to Nian, “Why do you kill the people who are no match for you? You are so strong.” Nian thought he was right. One year later Nian killed all other monsters on the earth. Then he came back. Some children were playing with firecrackers. Nian was afraid of the noise. From then on each new year people use firecrackers to scare away the last monster. Can you imagine how the monster Nian looked? Draw it.

6. RED PACKETS Children like red packets at Chinese New Year. People give money inside red envelopes which are decorated with lucky symbols or Chinese characters. people call them “Hung Bao.” Married couples give “Hung Bao” to children or unmarried people. They give it to represent a wish for fortune in the coming year. How much did you get last Chinese New Year? What’s your plan for using the money?

7. FOOD People prepare a lot of food for the Chinese New Year. The foods have special meanings. Some have a name with a lucky meaning, and some have special shapes and colors to show happiness, fortune or luck. What did you eat on Chinese New Year’s Eve? Did you eat anything special?

8. LION DANCE Lion dances take place on the first few days of the Chinese New Year. They bring good luck to the people. The dance is with loud music played on a large drum.

9. THINGS NOT TO DO AT NEW YEAR Don’t do house work on New Year’s day because it might wash away good luck. Don’t wash hair on the first and last day of the New Year. It’s also unlucky to use anything sharp on New Year’s day, like knives, scissors, even nail clippers. People think it might cut good fortune at New Year. It is important not to use language that is not good. Don’t say words about sickness and death. Be careful and do not break anything or there would be bad luck ahead.

10. TEMPLES During the Chinese New Year, temples are crowded with worshippers. They burn incense and pray for fortune and happiness in the coming year.

11. DOOR GODS During Tang Dynasty, the Emperor Taizong dreamed of ghosts which came to catch him. He sent his two generals to stand guard outside the emperor’s bedroom door. The emperor slept well and had no dreams of ghosts any more. After a few nights the emperor concerned for the generals. He ordered to hang up the paintings of the two generals on the door of his room and let them have a rest. The tale was widely known. The common people made their own paintings of the generals and put them on their doors to guard their home.