Chinese New Year is a major holiday celebrated in countries all over the world. Mepham High School took part in the fun on Monday, February 4th during an Elite event where students were given the opportunity to learn about and appreciate the holiday. The event was run by Ms. Qiu and Mrs. Parlagreco; they taught about Chinese culture and how the new year is celebrated on the other side of the world.

At the event the students made decorations honoring the new year. The decor consisted of red pieces of paper, since the color red represents luck, joy and happiness, with Chinese phrases on them like 福(Good Fortune),吉(Lucky), and 大吉大判(lots of luck and profits). Authentic Chinese water brushes and ink were used to write out the symbols. The students were also able to try Chinese candy and use chopsticks to eat dumplings-a challenge for some. At the end of the event everyone went home with a fortune cookie and a red envelope that is traditional in China for giving money to loved ones.

The Elite event was enjoyed by all who attended and it introduced new aspects of culture and celebration to the school. Next year when Chinese New Year comes around, don’t forget to hang red decorations on your door and hope for some red envelopes from your friends and family!