Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

Monday, January 23, 2012

Happy Chinese New Year!

This is a holiday that I have only recently begun to celebrate. As far as I am concerned, there can't be too many holidays!  I have some items on display that were gifts.  I love this red box and the horse it protects.




Here are some things that we will do to celebrate-

Wear red!  It is the color of good luck!

Make lanterns.  There are all sorts of ways to make them, but this technique is really easy.  Just fold your paper in half and cut 1/2 inch strips beginning on the folded side, leaving about two inches intact at the top.  Unfold, glue or tape together, and add some light on the inside.



Eat Chinese food.  Yup.  Panda Express is ok if you aren't adventurous!

Have Ming Kung Cakes.  These little cookies are individually wrapped and are like a shortbread.  They are very dry and crumbly, but a fun addition to a celebration.

Attend a festival. Lehi High School has a great Chinese program and they do a festival every year. We are planning to attend.

Give red envelopes.  Any red envelope will do, although you can get special ones that are red with gold imprint at any Chinese market.  Put some money in them and give them to children.

from about.com

"Red envelopes are handed out to younger generations by their parents, grandparents, relatives, and even close neighbors and friends during Chinese New Year. At some companies, workers may also receive a year-end cash bonus tucked inside a red envelope. Red envelopes are also popular gifts for weddings and birthdays. When giving someone a red envelope, use both hands to present the red envelope to the recipient. Giving and receiving red envelopes, gifts, and even business cards is a solemn act. Therefore, red envelopes, gifts and name cards are always presented with both hands and also received with both hands.

The recipient of a red envelope at Chinese New Year or on his or her birthday should not open it in front of the giver."
And if you need a little laugh, I found these on Pinterest, but they were a little raunchy, so here is the cleaned up version.
printable term list

Welcome to the Year of the Dragon!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Celebrating Collins Style


Although today is the Fourth of July, our celebrations began yesterday and will continue until tomorrow.  Since we don't have any family living in the area, we are not beholden to any traditions- we have the opportunity to make our own.  Since buying the cabin, we tend to come here for the holiday and invite anyone who wants to come eat, relax, and be.  Yesterday we were happy to have the Rice and Lockhart families come join us.

The day began with Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches (celebrating the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence) and moved through 9 holes of golf, ATV/ golf cart rides around the mountain, time in the hot tub, naps, a few small projects and lots of fun conversation.  Dinner was the most delicious ribs. . . Ed did a fabulous job on those and several side dishes.  The main topic of conversation during dinner was the Twilight series of books and movies.  (I have read the books and I haven't seen any of the movies.)  

I bought a birthday cake for Daniel's 19th birthday, but when it sat there next to the strawberry shortcake, it got no attention at all.  I just have to have strawberry shortcake for the 4th of July. . . mostly because my mom always made it.  I just buy pound cake at Costco and everyone thinks it is amazing.

At about 9:15 we all left for Mt. Pleasant to see the fireworks.  We have never seen them before, so we didn't know where to go to watch.  Last year we planned to watch the fireworks with all the same friends, but God had other plans and sent the most amazing lightning storm that most of us had ever seen.  Anyway, we lucked into a great spot and were pleasantly surprised by the fireworks.   

Daniel Rice- 19, Dallin Rice- 17, Colby Collins-17, Dania Rice- 15, Stephen Lockhart-14, Parker Collins-14, Dalton Rice-13, Reed Collins-12

After all the oohs and aahs, the Lockharts headed back to Provo and the Rices came back to the cabin.  We ate some more. . . (that's the "Collins Style" part) and headed to bed around 12:30.  What a wonderful day!