Happy Chinese New Year

Calendars are an invention of people. Time passes from day to day with the cycle of the sun rising and setting. Centuries ago people tried to measure time. They created the calendar as a measurement tool to keep track of how fast time was moving. However, just like there is more than one kind of pencil, or one kind of television, or gaming system, there is also more than one kind of calendar. 

The Chinese New Year begins this year on February 16, 2018. Just like our New Year is always on January 1st, the Chinese New Year is always on the first day of their calendar. One of the most interesting things about the Chinese calendar is that they identify each year with an animal. The Chinese say that people who are born during a Year of the Dog are honest, friendly, faithful, loyal, smart, stratightforward and have a strong sense of responsibility.

The Chinese people celebrate their culture in a 15-day celebration of the New Year. They celebrate with fireworks, parades, special rituals and foods.  Click here to watch a Youtube clip to see how some Chinese people celebrate the New Year.

To celebrate Chinese New Year, skip the fortune cookies, which are really an American invention, and try out a tangram puzzle. Tangrams are ancient Chinese puzzles. See below for printable Tangrams.  If you’re in the mood for something with a more artistic flair, download and color this Year of the Dog page. Click here for a link to a coloring page.

Don't forget to look for books on the Chinese New Year at the public library. We will have a few books available to check out at the HES library.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Miss Hazuda (@HESMediaCenter)