Gung Hei Fat Choy - Happy Chinese New Year! Although a tiny bit late, it doesn't end until the 15th of this month, so there's a few days left for me to wish everyone health, double happiness and prosperity!
I have several stories about these red honeycomb paper lanterns varying from the Chinese lunar celebration to a wedding in Canada!
My hoarder and repetition artist mind are definitely in conflict, but something has to give and although it would have been a sight to see and might have brought all kinds of Chinese good luck, I think it best to focus on my main goals and remind myself of my already overloaded ever expanding list of collections!!
Many years ago, I used them as rewards and classroom decor for students to celebrate and learn about the Chinese New Year and continued using them on through Valentine's day.
I don't know how I ended up with so many of these, except that maybe I ordered some and forgot and reordered them? Anyways, I ended up with about 48 of these. Enough to give away to students and the rest to decorate a classroom, however these sets remained unopened and still enclosed in at least 4 sets of a dozen each!
I had long paper dragons to match with them, but have no idea where those are yet!
Chinese New Year's is a particularly fun way to introduce China and Chinese culture to children because who doesn't love a party! It's fun to pass out red envelopes with classroom money with shiny foil chocolate coins!
If I could do it all over again, I'd introduce Chinese New Year foods as a way study puns, homophones, symbolism in the English language, as an English Language Development Lesson, as well as Cantonese and Mandarin.
Way off topic: My students did learn how to say "hello" in over 25 different languages. They answered "a greeting" in a new language each week for roll call and we kept a running list on the front page of our journals. "Nei hou (Hello, sounds like knee how)" and "Nei hou ma? (How are you? sounds like nay home ma)" I forget which one is Cantonese and Mandarin. And "xie xiah" (thank you sounds like shay shay)
I'm sorry, if I'm butchering the sounds, but that's what I learned from eating dim sum from Ocean Star restaurant in Alhambra, California. Does anyone know of a place that serves gluten free organic dim sum? I'll give you a ton of extra credit points! hah!
There's the Chinese new year dumpling that is stuffed with good luck and resembles a gold ingot for some prosperity symbolism.
Uncut long noodles are eaten to symbolize longevity, long life and health! and the list goes on!
What would you love to eat to symbolize your longevity, health and abundance?
Mine would be yukon gold potatoes with pasture raised golden butter for abundance, green drink with strawberry jewels for health and a never ending pot of stone soup for longevity!
I'm asking myself how I ended up with more food pics (I cut some out) than story pics and it's because all I've been doing is sleeping and eating. It seems I'm catching up on sleep and just wake up to eat. Sleep, eat, nap, repeat. It's been that way for about a week now! Last time it happened it lasted 2-3 months! Today, I'm up to write this post before Chinese New Year's is over and then return to Rip Van Winkle dream land!
Back to the original story:
Presently, these lanterns to went to a Chinese New Year Party because the etsyian wanted a break between all the Christmas and New Year's celebrating and decided to skip a traditional New Year Eve party in favor of a later Chinese New Year party!
Another set went to a Wedding with a Chinese New Year theme in Canada! They were used to to dress up and punctuate the guest registry area! Best wishes and Congratulations to the bride and groom!
One made it just in time as a prop for a photo shoot some where in New York! Here are some beautiful examples of her work here with her adorable adopted children!
One etsyian bought a large amount to pass out to friends and family. And sometimes stylizes them by rolling the edges in German glass silver glitter to use as holiday retail store prop decor!
And some left without a story....
Saying Good-bye:
1. These red paper lanterns let me reflect on teaching just long enough to miss it for a few fading seconds! It also brought back memories of using money in the classroom as homework incentive and how every Friday we had an Academic Party and the last Friday of the month was an Auction party.
I'd auction items like extra red paper lanterns and it would be so fun and funny to see which 8 years olds caught on to the concept and process of the "auction" and who'd spend all their money in a jiffy! And those who realized they didn't have enough money from not doing enough homework to buy anything at the auction but could buy something from the classroom store.
2. I saved many of these for my own decor because I like them so much and they fold so nicely to be stored and used over and over again! I've had them out and about since Christmas and will put them away after Valentines! I think they'd be fun for birthday parties and outdoor summer color for a pop of needed color! As long as I remember where I've stored them!
A few are still available here and here. Maybe they'll sell as Easter or Chinese wedding decor? I'll try anything once!
Thank you etsy and etsyians from all over for sharing your stories, some as destiny as infinity and taking part in my HoarderRehab! Thank you all for bringing me closer to my dream of a Minimalist Organic home with a music art room, instead of hoard storage! As of today, at least 204 items have left my home for new and better lives! Thank you Universe for sending my dream wishes near and far!
Thank you US, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India, Malaysia, Netherlands, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Uruguay and Ukraine for your visits the past few days while I caught up on sleep and many for your daily visits!
May you have a Happy Chinese New Year of abundance in all areas of life and may destiny as infinity be yours!
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