Chinese New Year

HAPPY BELATED CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!

I am a trifle late with this I know but hey hum. I think the celebrations go on all week so someone out there will still be celebrating. We have no claim to any form of Chinese heritage (that we know of- The Parent's both work on the family tree and so far we haven't really made it off the island) but just love the party aspect of CNY. The Mother in particular goes all out with lucky money envelopes and we have in more recent years been building up our collection of lanterns and decorations which are dragged out every year and the dust blown away.

This year seemed the most exciting yet and we invited various relatives to join in with our concoction of homemade and takeaway Chinese food. A couple of people are on a WeightWatchers diet so they created a low 'sin' meal which was apparently very tasty. I went for the less healthy take away option, well, when in Rome and all that...

The Mother also came across some rice paper cake toppers whilst out shopping and we had some quick fun whipping up simple icing to pop on top of (whispers) shop bought cupcakes. (We go in for a no fuss party.) I did put some effort in adding edible golden balls to the turned up edges of the papers for some glitzy glamour.

The decorations were brilliant, even if I do say so myself. I haven't actually taken a photo of it but there are homemade red paper chains decorating the ceiling, bonded with golden sellotape, there is a red and gold thread ball chain along one wall and we have dangling embroidered and woven Chinese decorations hanging underneath. The table was dressed with our sparkly Christmas tablecloth, and adorned with themed Primrose pots, candles with orient inspired papers around the glass, chopsticks, origami flower napkins (folded by yours truly) and the presents from The Mother. It looked so lovely and colourful.

It was all delicious and went down an absolute treat!! The presents from The Mother were very sweet as well. From left to right (below): the envelope of lucky chocolate money, a scratch off card fish decoration (that was good fun and kept us entertained for about quarter of an hour as we scratched out our designs), real lucky Chinese money, a 2016 Year of The Monkey badge, little monkey charms and a new Chinese woven fish decoration for the wall collection. Our Chinese New Year just gets bigger and better every time!!

Kung Hei Fat Choi!