Chinese New Year

Books for children:
Celebrating Chinese New Year: An Activity Book - Hingman Chan
The Year of the Pig - Oliver Chin

Jana
"Having little kids made it harder to go out for Chinese, so to help my kids celebrate Chinese New Year, I would make noodles, fried rice, or frozen dumplings, food that they would like, and dye the food red. My kids loved it!"

Wei
"Instead of a wreath, I put up a strand of fake firecrackers from Chinatown."

Terry
"In Asia, people usually do hot pot dinners or Japanese shabu-shabu. Here in US, our family also does hot pot, but instead of your usual Chinese or Japanese ingredient, we use all different kinds of food. Anything that you can boil and eat, we put it on the table, some unusual ones including mini hot dogs, corn, yam, pumpkin.It is different every year. Afterwards, we have fondue for dessert."

Rayna
"My mother is Chinese so she tries to do Chinese New Year, but it is harder in US since it is not an official holiday and most people don't celebrate, so she says we celebrate pseudo Chinese New Year. She always cleans the house the day before and fill our house with flowers. On Chinese New Year's Day, we wear new clothes. We watch the Chinese New Year parade. For dinner, we always have guests and eat dumplings for dinner. My parents give us money in red envelopes. I always like that part."

easter

Traditions from around the world:

Africa
"Ethiopians wear white clothing called yabesha libs for Easter services, and eat Dabo sourdough bread.

Australia
"Bilby is the symbol for Easter, since it is native to Australia. We have chocolate bilbies, Easter eggs, and we play egg-knocking game. It is a real fun time to be with the family."

Britain
"In many parts of England dancers called Morris dancers perform on Easter Sunday. These dances are very old spring dances to frighten away the veil spirits of winter. It was a Pagan holiday that got converted to Easter. Simnel cake is also baked for tea on this day.

Canada
"We are forbidden to eat eggs during Lent, but after fasting, we eat eggs with maple syrup, of course."

Eastern Europe
"Baking seems to be the most predominate tradition. In Bulgaria, Easter bread must be home-made by women. They are tasty, sweet, and rich. Czechoslovakians make Mazanec, a yeast-raised cake with almonds, raisins, and citron. In Latvia, Paska is served with Kulich saffron bread. Polish eats paczki (ponchkey), a big fat jelly doughnut on Fat Tuesday, very appropriate."

"Dyeing, painting, and decorating Easter eggs are very important, Faberge eggs being the most famous. Easter eggs are given to friends and family. In Slavia, they are in patterns of gold and silver, while Ukrainians design them with beeswax."

"Easter is particularly important to Poland. We splash each other with water for good health, no one is spared. Then we have Switching Day on Easter Monday, where boys swat their girlfriends with a small willow branch. But on Easter Tuesday, the girls get even by swatting the boys. Day after Easter, Dyngus is celebrated, where boys hide and wait to sprinkle girls with water or perfume. It is said that girls who get caught and soaked with water will marry within the year."

France and Belgium
"Instead of rabbit, we have Easter bell that flies to Rome to collect eggs from Pope."

Germany and Austria
"We make crullers, which are thick doughnuts cooked in fat. Another tradition is Easter Fire where we gather all the old Christmas trees and burn them."

Italy and Malta
"Being so close to the Vatican, we have lots events and ceremonies and festivals before Easter, but my favorite is the Easter dinner. It is always gnellino, roasted baby lamb. The table is decorated with colored eggs which have been blessed by the priest. In Malta, a figolla is given to each child. This is a baked confectionery pastry, cut in the shapes of Christian symbols."

Latin America
"Parades are held everyday in the last week of lent. The parade held on Good Friday is the saddest. Fat Tuesdays carnivals are the best. The most famous one is in Rio de Janeiro, where people spend the whole year preparing. Chile celebrates Palm Sunday with mass and Quasimodo, which is a religious fiesta. Easter Sunday is usually very quiet day, with no ceremonies."

Spain
"The saints are carried through the streets by specially chosen people, some of whom wear the traditional hooded costumes of the community."

Sweden
"Easter Eve, girls and boys dress up as hags and pay visits to their neighbors. Some leave a small decorated card hoping for a sweet or coin in return. On Good Friday, boys whipped the girls with the birch twigs, but on Easter, girls give the boys the taste of their own medicine"

Weddings

Debbie
"Our wedding was a Jewish and Asian American wedding. We had a chupah and we decorated it with plum blossoms and lanterns. We also had a rabbi and a buddhist monk. It was great, and more interesting than other weddings."

Mike
"I am Scottish and my wife is Jewish. For our wedding had a chupah made with my family tartan in the pattern of the star of David."

Helen
"For our wedding, we got lion dancers as entertainment for our reception. Even though it was short, our guests were happily surprised. Since my husband was from Canada, some of our guests had never seen Chinese lion dance before. It was fun!"

Thanksgiving

Anne-Marie
"My husband is from India and he prefers Indian food. Every Thanksgiving, I would make my own version of Tandori Turkey, and we would invite our friends who brings dishes from different regions of the world."

Hunter
"My parents really dislike turkey, so we would have duck instead."

Christmas

Noriko
"I like to decorate my tree with origami that I made myself. Every year, I make more. It is really fun, memorable, and inexpensive."

Mary
"Every Christmas Eve, my family and I would go to the local shelter and volunteer at the soup kitchens."

Ning
"Instead of giving each other presents, my friends and I would buy blankets and toys and donated them to local shelters."

Gift giving faux pas no more

Nancy
"In Chinese culture, a fan or a clock is a bad gift, unless you want to end the relationship. But this rule only apply to Chinese people who understand the meaning. Now days in the US, no one knows the meaning so it doesn't matter anymore. Symbols and meaning is only significant when it is understood, but it is always good to show that you understand other people's cultures and cultural faux pas." List of cultural faux pas