This year, our Chinese New Year celebration felt less like an event and more like a warm, glowing story we were lucky enough to step inside.
The day began with a sea of red and gold. Together, we painted bright red lanterns and sprinkled them with glitters, tiny hands concentrating as pieces of paper slowly turned into shining decorations.
When we hung them up, the foyer transformed - glowing with colour, hope, and the quiet excitement of something special about to begin. Red for good fortune, gold for prosperity, and for a moment, it felt like we had invited luck itself to join us. Soon the steady beat of drums filled the air, and the dragon dance burst to life as tamariki became the people under the dragon costume. The dragon swirled and dipped, weaving through cheers and laughter. All of us watched with wide, sparkling eyes, some clapping, some bouncing, all completely swept up in the rhythm. The dance didn’t just entertain us — it felt like it chased away every bit of dullness and filled the space with energy, courage, and joy.
One of the most unforgettable moments was the Lo Hei or Prosperity Toss, which is normally done with vegetables but for us, we just used colourful paper strips. Gathered around the table, we added colourful paper strips one by one, each symbol carrying a wish for health, happiness, success, and togetherness. Then came the best part — tossing the paper salad high into the air with our tiny hands while calling out blessings and good wishes. It was wonderfully messy, loud, and full of laughter, the kind of joyful chaos that somehow makes a memory permanent.
To share good luck, mandarins were passed from hand to hand — small, bright suns of sweetness symbolising prosperity and friendship. What made the celebration truly heartfelt, though, was welcoming our Malaysian–Singaporean–Chinese family who generously shared their traditions, and spirit with us. They didn’t just explain the customs — they brought them to life with kindness and pride, smiling at the children’s excitement, and making everyone feel included in something deeply meaningful.
Before they left, the parents surprised the tamariki with hong bao — beautiful red envelopes gifted with warm smiles and blessings for the year ahead. The children held them carefully, sensing that these were more than envelopes; they were wishes, love, and hope wrapped in red. By the end of the day, the lanterns still glowed softly above us, but something else lingered too, a feeling of connection. Not just to the celebration, but to one another.
Chinese New Year reminded us that traditions are not only about symbols and rituals. They are about sharing, welcoming, learning, and celebrating the beauty of culture together. And if the laughter, the dragon’s energy, the flying Lo Hei, and the shining red lanterns were any sign… This year has begun with very, very good fortune.