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How is Chinese / Lunar New Year celebrated?

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How is Chinese / Lunar New Year celebrated?

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How Valencia Celebrates Spring | Las Fallas De Valencia Festival 2022

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Every March in Spain we celebrate Fallas! A wonderful festival of satiric monuments, fireworks, dance, music, sesonal food and lighting. The tradition behind it is to burn every old/negative thing from the previous years on the Vernal Equinox and start a fresh new season with renewed energies. Burning the monuments that represent all the negative things that have happened is a way or purification and rebirth.
Fallas is the biggest community celebration as everyone comes together to welcome the good times.

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This traditional Japanese delicacy is always a plesure to eat and displays Japan's vast culture. It is rich in taste and authentic.

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Chinese New Year begins on January 22 - The Year of the Black Rabbit

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Chinese New Year begins on January 22 - The Year of the Black Rabbit

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lion dancer

Fireworks, dragons, lions, and Nian gao all signify the start of Chinese New Year. This is one of the most important holidays in China. It's observed all over the world. Similar celebrations occur in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival.

Most Chinese holidays follows the lunar calendar so the date varies from year to year. The Chinese New Year always occurs in January or February on the second new moon after the winter solstice, though on occasion it has been the third new moon. A long time ago, the emperor determined the start of the New Year. Today, celebrations are based on Emperor Han Wu Di's almanac. It uses the first day of the first month of the Lunar Year as the start of Chinese New Year. Each year has a ruling animal based on the Chinese Zodiac.

Traditions

Traditions observed during the New Year stem from legends and practices from ancient times. Legend tells of a village, thousands of years ago, that was ravaged by Nian, an evil monster, one winter's night. The following year the monster returned and again ravaged the village. Before it could happen a third time, the villagers devised a plan to scare the monster away. Since the color red protects against evil, red banners were hung everywhere. Firecrackers were set off, and people banged on drums and gongs creating loud noises to scare the beast away. The plan worked. The celebration lasted several days during which people visited with each other, exchanged gifts, danced, and ate tasty comestibles. Today, celebrations last two weeks. Celebrations today are both literal and symbolic.

Preparing for the New Year

plum blossoms

Spring cleaning is started about a month prior to the new year and must be completed before the celebrations begin. All the negativity and bad luck from the previous year must be swept out of the house.

People also get haircuts and purchase new clothing. It symbolizes a fresh start.

Offerings are made to the Kitchen God about a week before the New Year.

Flowers and decorations are purchased. Decorations include a New year picture (Chinese colored woodblock print), Chinese knots, paper-cuttings, and couplets.

Red papercuts decorations are made. Red is symbolic for good luck.

Flowers have special meanings and the flower market stocks up on:

plum blossom for luck

kumquats for prosperity

narcissus for prosperity

sunflowers to have a good year

eggplant to heal sickness

chom mon plant for tranquility

During the New Year Celebrations

red decorations

Brooms and cleaning materials are put away. No cleaning takes place during the holiday so no good luck will be sweep out of the home.

People do not fight and avoid being mean to each other, as this would bring a bad, unlucky year.

Bright colors, especially red, are worn.

Everyone celebrates their birthday this day and they turn one year older.

Traditional red oval-shaped lanterns are hung.

The Annual Reunion Dinner, Nian Ye Fan, is held on New Year's Eve. This is an important part of the celebration. Families come together and eat together. The food is symbolic. Many dishes have ingredients that sound the same as good tidings. In northern China, dumplings are served at midnight, they symbolize wealth.

Foods during the entire holiday hold symbolism as well.

Red meat is not served and one is careful not to serve or eat from a chipped or cracked plate.

Fish is eaten to ensure long life and good fortune.

Red dates bring the hope for prosperity, melon seeds for proliferation, and lotus seeds mean the family will prosper through time.

Oranges and tangerines symbolize wealth and good fortune.

Nian gao, the New Year's Cake, is always served. It's believed that the higher the cake rises the better the year will be.

When company stops by a "prosperity tray" is served. The tray has eight sides (another symbol of prosperity) and is filled with goodies like red dates, melon seeds, cookies, and New Year Cakes.

Red packets called Lai See Hong Bao (or Hongbao) with money tucked inside are given out as a symbol of good luck. The amount is an even number as odd numbers are regarded as unlucky.

Lions are considered good omens. The lion dance repels demons. Each lion has two dancers, one to maneuver the head, the other to guide the back. Business owners offer the lions a head of lettuce and oranges or tangerines. The offerings hope to insure a successful year in business. Lettuce translates into "growing wealth" and tangerines and oranges sound like "gold" and "wealth" in Chinese. The lions eat the oranges, then spew them up and out into the hordes of people who eagerly tried to catch the them. After eating the lettuce, they spit out it out in a thousand pieces.
There are two styles of lions, Northern and Southern. The Northern style imitates dog movements. The costumes tend to be warmer tones and shaggy with red or green bows on their heads. The dance often includes acrobatics and stunts. The Southern dance imitates a cat with stylized movements. The costumes comes in a wide variety of colors and the heads have larges eyes, a mirror on the forehead, and a single horn on the top of the head. Traditionally, the color had significance (but not so much today). The red lion for good luck, the yellow lion for good fortune, and green for money. A white-colored lion represented the eldest, black the youngest, and yellow in the middle.

The dragon dance is a highlight in the celebrations. A team of dancers mimic the movements of the dragon river spirit. Dragons bring good luck.

The end of the New Year is celebrated with the Lantern Festival.

2021: February 12 (Year of the White Ox)

2022: February 1 (Year of the Black Tiger)

2023: January 22 (Year of the Black Rabbit)

2024: February 10 (Year of the Green Dragon)

2025: January 29 (Year of the Green Snake)

2026: February 17 (Year of the Red Horse)

More for the Chinese New Year:

You Might Also Like:

⇴ lion from Paul, flickr, (CC BY 2.0), plum blossom from Paul, wikipedia, (CC BY-SA 2.0), red tree decorations from Pixabay.com

2020 Chinese New Year Greeting Cards & Postcards
by ZBug

Dim Sum : A Chinese Dumpling Cookbook

The collection of dim sum recipes from the old Chinese holidays pages at Web-Holidays.com.

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Chinese New Year, Spring Festival Celebrations - Web-Holidays.com

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Fireworks, dragons, lions, and Nian gao all signify the start of Chinese New Year. This is one of the most important holidays in China. It's observed all over the world. Similar celebrations occur in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival.

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The Fascinating History of Venice Mask Making!

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Tet Nguyen Dan - Vietnamese New Year beginning January 22

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Tet Nguyen Dan - Vietnamese New Year beginning January 22

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Tết Nguyên Đán, often referred to simply as Tet, is the Vietnamese New Year. The New Year does not fall on the same date each year, although it's always in January or February. There are similar celebrations in China, Japan, and Korea known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival.

The holiday in Vietnam is officially three days, but is often celebrated for seven. Tet is regarded as one of the most important Vietnamese holidays. Tết Nguyên Đán literally means the first morning of the first day of the new period. It's believed that the course of these few days will determine the path of the coming year. People stop their quarreling, children vow to behave, and families make special efforts to gather together.

Prior to the celebrations, homes are cleaned and painted. Cleaning during Tet is avoided so the good luck will not be "swept away." New clothes are purchased and old debts are paid. People go to church or the pagoda and make offerings to the Kitchen God. Homes are decorated with bonsai trees and flowers, and kumquat trees are brought into the home. These trees represent the family and the hope of good fortune in the new year. Trees are selected with care to insure the leaves are healthy and that there is ripe fruit as well as green fruit ready to ripen.

yellow blooms of the Hoa Mai

Homes are also decorated with the yellow apricot blossoms of the Hoa Mai in the south, while the rosy peach blossoms of the Hoa Dao are used in the North. The blossoms represent the spirit of Tet. They symbolize prosperity and well-being for the family. It's believed that the longer the blossoms last the more prosperous the family will be in the coming year.

During Tet, the Kitchen God departs the home to report on the family. To help protect the home during the absence of the Kitchen God, families erect a Cay Neu, a "New Years' Tree." A bamboo pole is planted in front of the home, all the leaves are removed, except a few at the top The tree is decorated with red paper. Red has long been associated with warding off evil spirits. The Cay Neu is taken down on the seventh day of Tet.

Deceased relatives are remembered during Tet. Families build alters with photographs, flowers, incense, money, and food. People also visit the gravesites of their deceased loved ones.

At midnight on the New Years' Eve, Le Tru Tich is held. The spirits of the old year are rushed out and the new spirits are welcomed. The streets are chaotic with everyone banging gongs and sounding off noisemakers to scare evil spirits away. Prior to 1995, firecrackers were set off by almost everyone, but in 1995 the government banned fireworks because the cost was financially prohibitive and the injury rate was soaring.

Traditions:

Cau Doi: a pairs of sentences called parallels are written in black ink on red paper. They are hung in the living room. Parallels have equal numbers of words with contrasting or corresponding meanings and lines of verses and contain wishes for happiness, prosperity and longevity.

The first person to enter the home after the start of the New Year sets the precedence for the coming year. Many people will arrange to have a child or someone well-off enter the home minutes after the start of the New Year.

Cutting open a watermelon: the redder the flesh, the more luck the family will have in the New Year

The Mam Ngu Qua, the five-fruit tray, is placed on the ancestral altar, symbolizing the admiration and gratitude to their ancestors and to Heaven and Earth. The five fruits are symbolic of the five basic elements of oriental philosophy: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The tray may hold five fruits or it may have more. It's often in the shape of a pyramid. The fruits include bananas, watermelons, oranges, kumquats, coconuts, apples, persimmons, and tomatoes. The ones chosen have meaning: green bananas symbolize a wish for protection from supernatural powers and ancestors while watermelons a desire for fertility, and kumquats for prosperity.

In the United States, women will often wear the colors of the Vietnamese flag, red and yellow, while men wear black.

Bánh chưng

Foods:

To celebrate Tet is to ăn Tết, literally "eat Tết."

Bánh chưng and bánh tét: rice cakes with meat or beans wrapped in dong leaves or banana leaves. Bánh chưng is square-shaped, representing the Earth, while bánh tét is round symbolizing the sky or moon.

Thịt Kho Nước Dừa: a traditional dish of pork belly and medium boiled eggs stewed in a broth-like sauce made from coconut juice and nuoc mam (a dipping sauce).

Xôi Gấc: a red sticky rice that is lightly sweetened

roasted watermelon seeds

pickled foods like onion, cabbage, bean sprouts, and leeks

coconut candy

You Might Also Like:

⇴ woman from wikipedia, (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication; Hoa Mai from Prenn, wikipedia, (CC BY-SA 3.0), Banh chung from wikipedia, public domain

Tet
by Holiday Bug

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Vietnamese New Year | Tet Nguyen Dan - Web-Holidays.com

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Tết Nguyên Đán, often referred to simply as Tet, is the Vietnamese New Year. The New Year does not fall on the same date each year, although it's always in January or February. There are similar celebrations in China, Japan, and Korea known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival.

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Italian-Inspired Tissue Paper Stained Glass

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Italian-Inspired Tissue Paper Stained Glass

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The early Romans in Italy excelled in making windows and small objects from colored glass. However, working with this material could be hazardous, so...tissue and wax paper along with some glue gives you an economical and fun craft.

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Easy Craft Ideas: How to Make Stained Glass with Tissue Paper

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The small village of Ciocanesti in Romania produces the most beautiful hand-painted Easter eggs I've ever seen. This video is a wonderful look at the process and tradition.

Here's how it works:

First, the (duck, goose, chicken, or even ostrich) egg is drained, through a tiny hole. Then, using a method akin to batik, it is dipped in dye and painted one color at a time, with the painter applying beeswax to those areas she wants to protect from the next round of dying. The painting implement, called a kishitze, is a stick with an iron tip. (Previously, egg-painters would have used thorns or pig bristles.)

And then the wax is melted and wiped off the egg, revealing the colors underneath. So cool. (via @colossal)

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Beautifully intricate Romanian Easter eggs

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The small village of Ciocanesti in Romania produces the most beautiful hand-painted Easter eggs I've ever seen. This video is a wonderful look at the process and tradition. Here's how it works: First, the (duck, goose, chicken, or even ostrich) egg is drained, through a tiny hole.

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The daffodil is a symbol of Wales, which is part of the United Kingdom. This flowery symbol can also be created assorted paper items; just check out how-to videos.

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Crochet A Welsh St Davids Daffodil Flower Brooch (Easy To Follow)

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This fun craft from Japan can reduce stress and improve eye-hand coordination while making beautiful art. Origami can be used to create many forms including geometric shapes such as cubes, pyramids and stars. It can be made with any kind or size of paper including upcycled old magazines and calendars.  Check out more designs and how-to videos.

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Origami Geogami - How to Fold an Origami Cube (Regular Hexahedron)

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Inspired by one of Spain's famous artists: Use watercolors like Joan Miró

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Inspired by one of Spain's famous artists: Use watercolors like Joan Miró

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Joan Miró i Ferrà was a Spanish painter who lived from 1893 to 1983. He was part of the Surrealist art movement that was noted for its simple lines and bright colors.

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Great Website for finding out about holidays and observance around the world.

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Great Website for finding out about holidays and observance around the world.

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February holidays around the world. These are holidays, festivals, observances, national days, food days, and celebrations in February.

Holidays are broken down into when the occur monthly. Some dates change year to year.

To see a listing, click the Holidays by Occurrence. Please see the individual observance for more information.

February Highlights

Some holidays follow the lunar or other non-Georgian calendars and therefore fall in different months different years. Those events are listed in each month they may occur.

⇴ image based on purchased image from vecteezy

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February Holidays Around the World - Web-Holidays.com

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February holidays around the world. These are holidays, festivals, observances, national days, food days, and celebrations in February. Holidays are broken down into when the occur monthly. Some dates change year to year. To see a listing, click the Holidays by Occurrence. Please see the individual observance for more information.

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mustard flowers

A Festival of Spring is celebrated in Haryana and Punjab, India, that occurs in January or February. It's also known as Vasant Panchami, Saraswati Puja, Shree Panchami, or the Festival of Kites. It's held on the fifth day of Magha (a month in the Hindu calendar).

It's a time to say goodbye to winter and welcome spring. On this day, Hindus worship Saraswati Devi, the goddess of knowledge, music, art, and culture. Children fly kites filling the sky with a rainbow of colors.

Yellow is the color of the day. Mustard fields are blooming with bright golden flowers. Statues of Sarasvati are dressed in yellow and worshiped. People dress in yellow clothing. Sweet saffron rice and yellow sweets are eaten.

Forty day later is Holi.

⇴ image from Pixabay.com

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January, February: Basant Panchami - Web-Holidays.com

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A Festival of Spring is celebrated in Haryana and Punjab, India, that occurs in January or February. It's also known as Vasant Panchami, Saraswati Puja, Shree Panchami, or the Festival of Kites. It's held on the fifth day of Magha (a month in the Hindu calendar).

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Some simple craft activities inspired by various arts from Asia: Origami & Kokeshi Dolls from Japan, Paper Lanterns & Opera Masks from China, Rock Mandalas from India/Tibet, and Glue Batik from Indonesia

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Some simple craft activities inspired by various arts from Asia: Origami & Kokeshi Dolls from Japan, Paper Lanterns & Opera Masks from China, Rock Mandalas from India/Tibet, and Glue Batik from Indonesia

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Asian crafts are a wonderful way to discover the art and culture of other countries. These simple tutorials are inspired by the traditional crafts of Japan, China, Indonesia, and more.We also picked projects that use materials that are easy to find, and steps that even kids or beginner crafters can follow. Our goal isn't to give you a crash on how to make replicas of Asian artwork - which takes to master - but to introduce you to new techniques and styles.

Japanese Origami

Source: By Live Japan Perfect Guide, "Origami: The Art of Paper Folding" ( https://livejapan.com/en/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-sapporo_chitose/article-a0001052/)

Difficulty level: Easy

Japanese origami, or the art of paper folding, is one of the most popular Asian crafts. You probably have already tried it already, and made a paper plane, sailboat or envelope! But there are of more origami patterns that you can learn to do. For example, from animals to flowers, or more practical objects like candy holders or boxes that you can use for gift-wrapping. Origami is best learned by watching video tutorials, especially if you're using special origami paper that has patterns. Here are some channels you can follow:

Origami Channel . The origami tutorials are perfect for beginners or even young kids! You can find many patterns for cute animals to seasonal decorations for Halloween and Christmas.

Origami with Jo Nakashima . Ready for a challenge? This popular origami channel has very unique patterns, from origami dragons to chess pieces!

JeremyShaferOrigami . Jeremy's origami creations are fun and often draw from pop culture, such as movies and video games. Make the Legend of Zelda sword, a paper Pokeball, or the Endgame Infinity gauntlet, and more!

Kokeshi Dolls

Source: By Discover Nikkei, "Simple Kokeshi Doll Tutorial" ( http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/nikkeialbum/albums/388/?view=list)

Difficulty level: Easy

Kokeshi dolls are traditional Japanese wooden dolls. They don't usually have arms or legs, but careful attention is placed on decorating their kimonos. Master craftsmen would often sign their work at the bottom of the doll, and these masterpieces can often fetch thousands of dollars! But you can make this Asian craft at home, using very affordable materials. In this simplified Asian craft tutorial, we will use a cork or wooden ball, and materials you can find at home.

Materials

Instructions

1. Paint the head of the doll white and leave it to dry.

2. Paint the hair, eyes, and other desired details on the head.

3. Cut chopsticks to the desired length and glue them to the back of the head.

4. Paint the bottle the desired color of the dress.

5. Decorate the "kimono" with hand-painted details, or use any materials you have at home - stickers, washi tape, fabric scraps, origami paper.

6. Glue the head of the doll to the decorated bottle.

Chinese Paper Lanterns

Source: By First Palette, "Paper Lanterns" ( https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/paper-lantern.html)

Difficulty level: Easy

You've probably seen Chinese paper lanterns hung in your favorite Chinese restaurant, or hung on the streets of Chinatown during the Lunar New Year. Here is a simple version that can make, and will make a lovely party decoration.

Materials

Cardstock (traditionally red, but you can use any color you like), A4 size

Crepe paper in the same color (or contrasting color) of the cardstock

Heavy-duty tape or stapler

Decorations such as washi tape, ribbons, stickers, gift wrapping paper, sequins, etc.

Optional: markers, glitter glue, puff paint, ModPodge

Instructions

1. With your ruler, measure 1 inch from the short side of the paper. Cut and set aside - you will later use this to make the handle.

2. Fold the remaining paper into one half, lengthwise.

3. Measure one inch and draw a line. This will serve as your cutting guide and will mark the top and bottom borders of your lantern.

4. Cut slits into the paper, about 1 inch apart, stopping at the edge of the line you just drew.

5. Unfold the paper. Decorate the uncut edges or borders with washi tape, stickers, or whatever decorative materials you have. You can also draw additional details with puff glue or glitter glue, or add a coating of ModPodge or other shiny finish.

6. Staple or glue the two edges of the lantern together.

7. Decorate the handle, made from the 1-inch strip of paper you cut in Step 1.

8. Attach the handle to the lantern.

9. Cut out streamers "" or strips of crepe paper - and glue to the bottom of the lantern.

Peking Opera Masks

Difficulty level: Medium

Did you know that Chinese opera is one of the earliest forms of theater? The first opera school was established in the Tang Dynasty, and from then, several "schools" or styles emerged in different provinces. The Peking Opera style is particularly known for its elaborate masks. These bright masks made use of symbolic colors or expressions that helped the audience understand the type of character the actor was playing. For example, the red mask was always used by the brave hero, the green mask was for rebellious or impulsive characters, and the yellow mask was worn by cruel, sly, or malicious villains. For this Asian crafts tutorial, you can follow the traditional symbolisms or design one according to your preference!

Materials

Instructions

1. Cut the cardstock into a circle that is slightly bigger than your face. You can use a dinner plate as a guide to get a perfect circle or make it more "realistic" with ears and an elongated chin. Then, mark the space for the eyes and cut them out with a cutter. To make this step even simpler, you can find the Peking Opera Mask template and print it directly to the cardstock.

2. Design the mask. Peking Opera masks are characterized by a distinct nose pattern and a lot of details around the eyes.

3. Paint the mask.

4. Once the paint is dry, you can outline the edges of your design with a black or gold marker for a smoother and more defined finish.

5. If you want to give a more three-dimensional look to your mask, cut out colored cardstock into desired shapes and adhere to the mask with scrapbook foam, so you can create interesting layers.

6. Punch holes on the side of the mask and tie a rubber band or elastic.

Rock Mandalas

Source: By Lydia May, "How to Paint Dot Mandalas VERY BEGINNERS STONE Handmade stone Step by Step" ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pejqo_iQhCk)

Difficulty level: Medium

Mandalas are a spiritual Asian art and are often used in Buddhism and Hinduism as part of meditation and prayer. It is practiced in Japan, India, Tibet, and many other Asian countries. The mandalas have a symmetrical geometric design. They use simple shapes - circles, lines, squares, triangles, swirls and petals - which emanate from the center. The act of repeating the pattern, as it grows outward and perhaps increases in complexity, reflects the process of finding your core and then being one with a greater whole. Many people find mandala making very relaxing, and since it only uses simple shapes you can create stunning artwork even if you don't have master drawing skills.

Materials

Paint (such as water-based acrylic or poster paints)

Brushes with a sharp tip (different sizes) dotting tools

Stones with a flat surface

Protective coating

Instructions

1. Look for the center of your stone, either by eyeballing it or measuring with a ruler.

2. Paint a large dot in the center. Either eyeball it or measure. Start with a larger dot in the center. You may have to make a small circle with your dotting tool.

3. Draw smaller dots around the large dot. Use a smaller paintbrush or dotting tool, or makeshift dotting tools such as chopsticks or an unused pencil.

4. Start alternating dots of different colors or sizes. There are no "rules" here - part of the mandala meditation is to listen to yourself and your instincts. Just keep the symmetry and step back every few minutes to see the whole - you will have an idea of where the pattern is "taking you."

5. Experiment with other shapes. "Drag" a dot to create a swirl. Or, make a circle within a circle, or add diamonds or lines.

6. Once you have finished the mandala, leave the paint to completely dry before applying a protective coating with a transparent finish.

If you're a beginner, or you're working with a small stone or very detailed patterns, let the paint completely dry before adding the next "layer" to the design. That can help prevent smudging. You can also draw faint lines in an asterisk pattern from the center to help guide your placement and achieve perfect symmetry. This isn't critical - some people prefer a more free-flowing approach - but it can help if you're new to mandala painting.

Glue Batik Making

Source: By First Palette, "Glue Batik" ( https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/glue-batik.html)

Difficulty level: Easy

Batik is a traditional Indonesian art of dyeing fabric using wax-resist techniques. They draw beautiful patterns or freehand designs, using melted wax applied with a spouted tool (which they call ) or copper stamps. This simplified version borrows from the Batik method, and is easy and safe enough for even kids to do! Just remember, always work in a well-ventilated room whenever you work with fabric paints, and protect your clothes by wearing an old shirt or an apron.

Materials

Instructions

1. Cut canvas or cotton fabric into the size you like. Think of how you want to use the fabric later on: a small square can be framed or sewn onto a T-shirt, while larger sheets can later be made into pillowcases, table runners, bags, or other crafts.

2. Sketch the design with a pencil. It's easier to have a design that has large elements or "blocks" where you can place colors. This simplified method of Batik making will not work with very small, detailed designs.

3. Place plastic wrap or placemat on your work surface, then put your fabric underneath. This protects the table from any glue or paint that may seep through.

4. Squeeze the glue and trace it over the outline of your design. Leave it to dry completely (usually around 5 to 6 hours). You know the glue is ready if it is transparent, and if it is hard when you touch it.

5. Prepare the paint to the desired consistency. Dilute it more to get a faint, watercolor finish. Add only a little water if you want colors to be very bold (just bear in mind that the thicker the paint, the longer it will take to dry). Do not use pure paint, because it will chip away when it is dry.

6. Paint your design, as desired. You can randomly paint in different colors to create a tie-dye effect, or follow your design and use the outlines as "borders".

7. Let the paint dry. You can check if the glue has successfully resisted the paint by checking the backside of your fabric "" you should see white spaces where you have applied the glue.

8. Peel off the glue. If you can't get out everything, soak the fabric in warm water for about 15 to 30 minutes.

9. Once you have removed the glue, iron it to "set" the paint. Hem the edges of the cloth to prevent it from fraying. Now, you can use it any way you want!

Tip: always do a spot-test of fabric paint to see how well it stays, or how "true to color" it is to the label. It will help avoid the mess and disappointment of finding out later on that your paint looks faded or tends to bleed.

Take a Deeper Dive into Asian Crafts

The more you read about Asian crafts, the more you'll be impressed by their artistry, and enthralled by the history and culture behind them. We hope these projects will inspire you to try more Asian crafts, and even consider learning advanced techniques. There are many video tutorials that can help you learn the "authentic" process, and thanks to the Internet, you can order the materials or even get kits to get you started.

Comments

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Simple Asian Crafts for All Ages: Explore the World with Art · Craftwhack

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Asian crafts are a wonderful way to discover the art and culture of other countries. These simple tutorials are inspired by the traditional crafts of Japan, China, Indonesia, and more.We also picked projects that use materials that are easy to find, and steps that even kids or beginner crafters can follow.

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Try out a few phrases and words in another language...maybe Korean or Dutch...

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Try out a few phrases and words in another language...maybe Korean or Dutch...

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Duolingo is another great online resource.

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Learn a Language - Share a Language - LanguageGuide.org

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Little New Year in China with Kitchen God Festival

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Little New Year in China with Kitchen God Festival

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The Kitchen God

In China, the Xiao Nian Festival (Little New Year) also known as the Kitchen God Festival occurs on the 23rd, 24th, or 25th day of the 12th month in the lunar calendar-approximately one week before the Chinese New Year. It may fall in January or February. The date varies depending on the region.

On this day, the Kitchen God reports to the Jade Emperor in Heaven about the family. Incense and candles are lit around the house. Sticky sweets are left for the Kitchen God, usually on an alter or shrine. The stickier the candy the better, so the god's mouth sticks closed and he can't speak poorly of the family. According to custom, men must leave the sweets. To send the god on his way, his picture is taken outside and burned. Paper gold and silver ingots are also offered.

This is also the time when the home and yard is cleaned to make ready for the New Year. After the cleaning is done, homes are decorated in red papercuts and posters, and fresh flowers.

It's also celebrated in Vietnam where it's called Táo Quân.

⇴ image from Edward Theodore Chalmers Werner, 1922, wikipedia, public domain

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January, February: Kitchen God Festival - Web-Holidays.com

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In China, the Xiao Nian Festival (Little New Year) also known as the Kitchen God Festival occurs on the 23rd, 24th, or 25th day of the 12th month in the lunar calendar-approximately one week before the Chinese New Year. It may fall in January or February. The date varies depending on the region.

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Also know as Sankanranthi, a Hindu harvest festival celebrated in the Magh month of the Nepali calendar (January 14/15).

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cooking pongal

Makar Sankranti, also known as Pongal or Sankaranthi, is a Hindu harvest festival celebrated in most parts of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh during the Magh month of the Nepali calendar. Some regional names are Makar Sankranti, Kanumu, Lohri, Bihu, Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Poki festival, and Hadaga Festival. Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the sun into the zodiacal sign of Capricorn. The date of the festival is based on a this solar event making it one of the few Hindu festivals which fall on the same date every year, January 14, with occasional exceptions, when it's falls on the 15th.

This festival dates back at least 1,000 years, and it's celebrated in many different ways throughout the country. It announces spring and the coming of longer days. Special sweets and cakes are made, and they all contain jaggery (a type of cane sugar) and sesame seeds or nuts, making this festival particularly popular with children. Small silk bags containing sesame seeds mixed with jaggery are offered to friends with the greeting "Eat this sweet sesame and speak sweetly to me," to encourage harmony and no quarreling throughout the year.

In Gujarat, kites are flown. In Punjab, this festival is called Lohri, and families gather around a bonfire and feast and dance. Sugarcane, rice, and sweets are tossed into the fire for the sun god.

Thai Pongal is celebrated by Tamils (originating in Southern India and Sri Lanka). Pongal means "boiling over or spilling over." Letting milk boil over is considered prosperous. Pongal is a harvest festival thanking the sun god, Surya, for a good crop year. Pongal, the dish, includes milk, rice, lentils, cardamom, jaggery, cashews, and raisins. It's cooked outdoors in the sun in a clay pot called a kollam that has be decorated with colorful patterns. It's dedicated to the sun god and is served throughout the festival. Thai Pongal is celebrated over four days. However, cities typically only celebrate one day, January 14.

The Four Days of Pongal

First day of Pongal: Bhogi. Worn out clothes and household items are burned in a huge bonfire and offerings are made to the rain god.

Second day of Pongal: Surya Pongal or Tahi Pongal. Rice is boiled with milk in new pots outdoors until it boils over. This momentous event is highly celebrated. The rice is topped with sugar cane, nuts, and raisins. It is offered to the sun god and later eaten by the family along with other sweets. Early in the morning the women create beautiful kolams (drawing) on the ground outside the home with colored rice flour.

Third day of Pongal: Mattu Pongal. The day is dedicated to the cattle. Cows are decorated with paint, beads, bells, and flowers. They are fed sweet rice and led through town.

The last day of Pongal: Kaanum Pongal or Thiruvalluvar Day. People visit family and friends.

Sweet Pongal

Sweetened rice with jaggery, not this recipe

serves 4
1/3 cup green gram dal
1/2 cup rice
1-1/4 cups water, divided
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 cups powdered jaggery or palm sugar
2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp cashews
2 tbsp raisins
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of ground nutmeg
pinch of saffron

Dry roast dal for a couple of minutes in a pan. Add rice, 1 cups of water, and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook until done. In another pan, combine jaggery and 1/4 cup water. Cook over low heat until jaggery melts. Stir into cooked rice and dal. Heat ghee in another pan. Add and saute cashews and raisins. Add to rice. Stir in remaining ingredients.

⇴ pongal image from Arikrishnan, wikipedia, (CC BY-SA 3.0), brightened; cooked pongal dish from Babithajcosta, wikipedia, (CC BY-SA 4.0), cropped

Makara Sankranti | Pongal
by ZBug

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January 14 (15): Makar Sankranti | Pongal - Web-Holidays.com

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Makar Sankranti, also known as Pongal or Sankaranthi, is a Hindu harvest festival celebrated in most parts of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh during the Magh month of the Nepali calendar. Some regional names are Makar Sankranti, Kanumu, Lohri, Bihu, Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Poki festival, and Hadaga Festival.

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Traditional new year celebratory custom in Japan.

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Kagami-mochi

In Japan, today is the opening of the New Year's rice cakes. Kagami-mochi, meaning mirror rice cake, is a decoration consisting of two round mochi (rice cakes), the smaller placed on top of the larger, and a daidai (a Japanese bitter orange) on the very top. Leaves are often added. Some regions stack three cakes. The Kagami-mochi is displayed on a stand in an alcove.

On Kagami-biraki they are taken down and eaten. By this time, the kagami-mochi has harden and cracked. It's a good luck charm, so it's not cut with a sharp object, rather it's opened by hand or with a hammer. Kagami-biraki means opening the mirror. The kagami-mochi was originally an offering to the god of the new year in order to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming year.

⇴ image from tamakisono, wikipedia, (CC BY 2.0)

Kagami mochi button
by HolidayBug

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January 11: Kagami-biraki - Web-Holidays.com

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In Japan, today is the opening of the New Year's rice cakes. Kagami-mochi, meaning mirror rice cake, is a decoration consisting of two round mochi (rice cakes), the smaller placed on top of the larger, and a daidai (a Japanese bitter orange) on the very top. Leaves are often added.