Chinese Lantern Festival

Chinese Lantern Festival

Description:

The 10 RA's at our Residence Hall got together and decided to celebrate the Chinese New Year as a nice Co-op to kick off the Spring semester. At each of our wing meetings 20 days in advanced we explained to our residents what the Chinese New Year was and why the Chinese do their traditions associated with this event. Prior to our lantern festival, we decorated our doors with red paper and wrote good luck sayings on them (this is to keep away bad spirits). At the Lantern Festival we had ctered Chinese Food for 100 people, paper lanterns, chalk (so the residents could write "Good Luck" sayings on the sidewalks), Chinese music, and a good time. The program was a huge success, residents loved the Lantern Festival, and we were able to educate about another culture. By having residents decorate their doors in advance, they look forward to the Lantern Festival and this was an excellent way to start off the spring semester.

Instructions/Things Needed:

Order decorations from an Oriental Trade Magazine (really inexpensive):
Paper Lantern
Chinese Dragon Table Decorations
Red Paper and Table Cloth
Paint Pens (to write on paper)
Chalk (for sidewalk)
Chinese Food
Extras: (Fun Stuff)
Fortune Fish
Chinese Paper Fans

Other Considerations:

The program cost about $550
$100 for borders and paper to decorate all doors red for event
$50 for decorations @ program
$400 Chinese Food
**Ask your schools Diversity office, hall association, or central housing for funds.**
Don't let money get in your way, this was an excellent program and was worth every penny!!!

Name: Kim Brown
School: University of North Texas
email: kmb0001@unt.edu

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