Ring in the Lunar New Year: 5 Fun and Festive Ways for Families to Celebrate Together!
Lunar New Year will be a celebration to remember, thanks to initiatives that honor Asian heritage and create meaningful connections.
The Lunar New Year is a time for togetherness, reflection, and celebration. Whether you're steeped in tradition or just beginning to explore the holiday, there are countless ways to make the festivities special. Here are meaningful activities to embrace the spirit of the season:
1. Host a family dumpling-making party
To celebrate AAPI culture, imagination meets tradition with the very first dim sum cart toy for kids ever made. Children can now bring the magic of dim sum to life with the very first dim sum cart toy. Yobe Qiu, an entrepreneur and passionate advocate for AAPI representation brought the cart to the market with a playset combining fun and cultural learning, offering a hands-on way to explore an iconic part of Asian cuisine. It offers children a fun, hands-on way to connect with cultural heritage while inspiring creativity and learning through play.
2. Give and receive Red Envelopes
Red envelopes, or "hongbao," are a beloved Lunar New Year tradition symbolizing blessings and good fortune. Fill the envelopes with money or small tokens and share them with children and younger family members to pass on wishes for a prosperous year ahead. To learn about the Red Envelope tradition families can read The Missing Red Envelopes by Qiu which showcases the importance.
3. Share stories and traditions
Through the eyes of children from diverse backgrounds, reading a heartwarming story highlights the richness and variety of Lunar New Year traditions around the world.
Qiu’s acclaimed children’s book, Our Lunar New Year, returns with a vibrant second edition just in time for the Year of the Snake and offers families a deeper dive into the diversity of Lunar New Year traditions across Asia. Featuring stunning new illustrations by Cynthia Li and enriched content, the book delves even deeper into the rich diversity of Lunar New Year traditions across Asia. It’s a must-read for families looking to spark cultural curiosity and pride in young readers.
4. Watch a lion dance performance
Seek out local Lunar New Year events featuring lion dances, firecrackers, and cultural performances. These lively displays are not only entertaining but also rich with history and meaning, making them a memorable family experience.
Qiu continues to pave the way for meaningful cultural connections. This Lunar New Year, she’s inviting communities to celebrate tradition while paving the way for a more inclusive future.
5. Connect with AAPI authors
Find books with AAPI characters or that have been written by authors part of the AAPI community. Book an Author is a matchmaking platform for authors and institutions. A self-service, subscription-based national bidding platform, Book an Author, which Qiu co-founded, aims to disrupt the publishing industry by making authentic storytelling accessible and increasing diversity in K-12 literary events.
BookanAuthor.com has hundreds of local authors who can visit schools and read to the students during Lunar New Year. The platform also sells different AAPI books to connect with families.
Qiu continues to pave the way for meaningful cultural connections. This Lunar New Year, she’s inviting communities to celebrate tradition while paving the way for a more inclusive future.