Happy Chinese New Year!
Celebrate the Year of the Ox with fun crafts and games for the whole family.
by Shannon Grotzinger

Any holiday that includes dragon dances, monetary gifts, drums and fireworks gets our seal of approval! Chinese New Year is the most important of all traditional Chinese holidays. This year the festivities begin on January 26 and last for 15 fun-filled days. Celebrate with your family by making these eco-friendly money packets, then use your handiwork in our card game that’s based on Chinese numerology.

CRAFT: Lucky Money
During Chinese New Year, people exchange red envelopes filled with money, or yuan. The value of each gift is important, since Chinese numerology determines which numbers will ensure a fruitful new year and which will bring misfortune. Even numbers (except for the number four) are lucky—especially the number eight. Odd numbers are unlucky.

You and your family can create your own red envelopes and yuan, and exchange them as gifts. Or, play Lucky Number Eight as a fun way to learn Chinese numerology and the difference between odd and even numbers.

Materials
Red recycled construction paper
Nontoxic markers or soybean crayons
Scissors
Nontoxic glue
Ruler

To Make the Packets
1. With paper lying horizontally, cut a 3" strip off the right side (save this scrap to make the yuan). You should now have an approximate square.

2. Fold the top of the paper toward you, stopping short of the bottom so that about ½" of the paper sticks out from underneath.

3. Glue the right edge closed.

4. Fold the bottom flap up over the paper. Secure with glue.

5. Turn over packet and draw a Chinese character on front (we used the symbol for good luck!)

To Make the Coins
1. On your strip of scrap paper and another sheet of construction paper, draw circles with 11/2" diameters for however many yuan coins you want (for Lucky Number Eight, make three coins for every player).

2. Using scissors, cut out the circles.

3. Decorate with the Chinese character for yuan (as shown in our example).

Click on these links to make Long Life Noodles, a dragon mask, and play a game based on Chinese numerology.