The children had the delight in participating in Chinese New Year Celebrations last Friday. Everyone turned up wearing something red to get in the festive spirit. First we watched a presentation on Chinese New Year and then the children set about making dragons and food art and they got to eat dumplings and spring rolls in the best Chinese Restaurant in Den Haag - The Reception Jungle. Watch this short clip to see the significance of dumplings and spring rolls at Chinese New Year!
As in Chinese tradition, the children got a special red envelope called a hongbao as a New year gift.
The dumplings and spring rolls were a sell out- yum!
But the highlight of the day was when we did our own dragon dance.... Dragons are linked to good luck, long life and wisdom. They are nothing like the fierce, fire-breathing Western dragons that carry off princesses and eat people. Chinese Dragons are associated with storm clouds and life-giving rain. They have special powers so they can fly in the air, swim in the sea and walk on land. The Dragon has features of other animals such as the horns of a stag, the scales of a fish and the footpads of a tiger. Dragon dances are performed to scare away evil spirits!
