DIY Life

It's Chinese New Year! Welcome to the Year of the Rat! Some people call this holiday Lunar New Year -- it's celebrated in other parts of Asia, after all -- and in China itself, it may also be called the Spring Festival.

Whatever you call it, it's a time of celebration and fun. It's also the time of the world's largest human migration, as many Chinese people attempt to return to their hometowns to spend the holiday with their families.

After the break, you'll see some great videos that will teach you all about the Lion Dance, and learn how to make the "red envelopes" that are perfect for lucky cash gifts at this time of year!

One of the rituals most closely associated with Chinese New Year is the Lion Dance, not to be confused with the Dragon Dance that is also performed on the holiday. The Lion Dance requires skill and training, and is often taught at martial arts schools.

One such school, Anta's Fitness and Self-Defense in Miami, Florida, has contributed an extensive series of Lion Dance instructional videos to ExpertVillage.com. Each video is brief, but there are enough of them to give you a good idea of the major aspects of the dance and how it's done.

As part of the dance, the lion eats lettuce with a "red packet" (ang pao, hong bao, or lai shi*) of money hidden in it. These red packets are widely distributed, often as family gifts, during the New Year's holiday period; in this instance, it's payment for the dancers' services. Here are two printable versions:

• Feng Shui Web's Make Your Own Ang Pow
• How to Make a Red Money Packet at EMAS Portsmouth

Finally, here's another interesting page about Chinese New Year, with lots of lore and a few recipes. Gung hey fat choi!

* Anglicized spellings of Chinese words vary.