How to Celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival

The Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days and culminates with the Chinese Lantern Festival. This festival, which occurs on the 15th day of the first lunar month, dates back to the Han Dynasty. Today, the celebration continues with lots of food, entertainment and fun for the entire family. It is also commonly known as Chinese Valentine's Day.

Instructions

1. Prepare Yuanxiao, which are also known as glutinous rice balls. These treats are sweet dumplings made from the following ingredients: sticky rice, butter, black sesame powder, sugar, wine and water.

2. Make your own lanterns from red construction paper. Then, decorate the lanterns with pictures, sequence or riddles.

3. Attend Chinese Lantern Festival activities sponsored by your local Chinese Community. Such festivities often include parades, dances, acrobatics and food. Also, many larger cities hold glowing lantern parades.

4. Invite friends to your home for a Chinese Lantern Festival Party. Provide space for people to make their own lanterns or ask guests to bring lanterns with riddles. Set off firecrackers and serve traditional Chinese food.

5. Play Guess the Lantern Riddle. Players guess the answers to riddles written on lanterns. Some store owners may post riddles outside their store for people to read as they pass.

6. Serve as a matchmaker to one of your single friends, or seek out a companion for yourself. Some people consider the Chinese Lantern Festival to be Chinese Valentine's Day.