The Chinese New Year is rapidly approaching and many people around the world are excited to celebrate the Year of the Tiger. It might seem that the Lunar New Year is an expensive holiday, which detours many people from giving it a try. However, this holiday can be enjoyed on a tight budget so you can have fun without having to worry about adding to your holiday debt. These ten ideas will help the whole family have some fun while learning about Chinese culture.

1. Create Tiger Masks
If you have children in the home that are excited about the holiday, you can easily create tiger masks to bring out the fun of the holiday. Tiger masks offer a lot of versatility because you can easily make them out of things that you find lying around the house. One of the easiest options is to use paper plates to draw on the face. Of course, you can also take it to the next level with paper Mache or clay to make the masks if you are working with older children. Masks can be worn for fun or you can even create a fun parade or fashion show to help everyone show off their creations while celebrating the year of the tiger. If everyone doesn’t want to work with a tiger, then they can always create a mask showing off their Chinese zodiac animal.

2. Learn a New Dance
There are a lot of fun dances associated with the Chinese New Year. So, right now you can easily learn a new dance to pair with the season. There are many traditional dances to choose from, but if you want to pay homage to the Year of the Tiger then you might consider learning the lion dance. Before the Chinese Zodiac represented the tiger, it was actually a lion. The lion was far too ferocious, so the emperor decided to change the animal to make it more appealing to the people of China. You can find tutorials for this dance and other traditional Chinese dances online, which will save you money on lessons.

3. Learn About the Tiger
When it comes to the Lunar New Year, every animal in the zodiac has its own story. You will find a wide assortment of facts about the tiger that you can find all over the internet. If your zodiac is a tiger, then you will find that there are many websites dedicated to sharing personality details and so much more to help ensure you fully understand everything you need to about your zodiac. You can also learn all of the things necessary about the zodiac, such as what is lucky and unlucky for you. Even if you aren’t a tiger, you can find out information about the Year of the Tiger, which can help you have the luckiest possible year, too.

4. Create Paper Cutting Projects
Paper Cutting is one of the traditional crafts that is enjoyed during the Chinese New Year. If you are looking for a fun way to jump into the fun, then this is a great option. The entire family can participate in the fun too, which will allow you to bond. Papercutting is a great craft because it is pretty inexpensive. In fact, you probably have all of the things you need in your home. You can find tutorials to help you get started on the crafted online, which should allow you to feel more confident about the new craft. Best of all, you can use your papercutting projects for decoration or as gifts for your loved ones for the Lunar New Year.

5. Tiger Paper Lantern
Paper lanterns are a great way to help learn more about Chinese culture while having some fun. You can enjoy a wide assortment of lanterns that will help you enjoy the fun of the season, while also catering to the craft supplies that you already have in the home. Paper lanterns are fairly easy to make with children, you will need colored construction paper or cardstock for the exterior of the lantern. For the interior, each person can draw a picture of a tiger or print and color a picture out. Simply cut slits in the construction paper, while still leaving an inch trim on each side of the paper. Then, glue the tiger picture to the inside of the paper and form the two combined papers into an oval shape. The slits in the paper will open up revealing the tiger. You can then hang the item anywhere. There are more complex options available too, so make sure to explore to suit your crafting needs.

6. Longevity Noodles
Eating traditional foods is always a great way to celebrate a holiday such as the Lunar New Year. There are many Chinese foods that are great to have during the holiday. One of the traditional things to eat are longevity noodles. These noodles are cut to be very long, which is said to represent a long life. Eating longevity noodles during the new year can actually bring you luck and prosperity too. The best thing about longevity noodles is they are incredibly easy ad cheap to make. You can find a wide assortment of recipes online to help you along the way. You might also be able to order them from some of your favorite Chinese restaurants.

7. Bring Out Red Décor
Red is the color said to bring you luck during the Lunar New Year. Typically, decorations for this holiday are sold in red and gold. If you don’t have traditional décor to enjoy then don’t worry! Simply bring out the red decorations you already have. You can also make your own décor to put up for the holiday. This is easily done with red construction paper, felt, or anything else you have in the home that can be used as a craft supply. You can also add to this by wearing red clothing.

8. Connect with Family
The Spring Festival is all about family reunions, which is why you should take some time during the celebration to reconnect with your family. If you are able to, try to visit with relatives, especially your elders. However, with Covid-19 ramping up again, this might be a bit of a challenge. If visiting in person isn’t a possibility, consider calling or video chatting. You can even come up with a fun tradition you can do virtually to help make the special occasion stand out so you can enjoy the celebration year after year.

9. Clean
It doesn’t matter what year it is, which animal we are celebrating, or when the holiday falls, one of the most common ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year is to clean up. This is a great time to get on your spring cleaning so you can begin fresh in the upcoming year. Cleaning can be a great way to go into the spring feeling like you can tackle any activity that comes your way because you won’t need to clean. You might start by going through your closet and getting rid of clothing and other items that might be lurking around that you really don’t need. You should also clean filters, behind appliances, and so on to help you begin the year fresh. This will allow you to easily get where you want before spring arrives, which can bring you a lot of relief. Of course, it is also said to bring you good luck to begin the new year with a clean home.

10. Watch the Gala
The Spring Festival Gala is a big part of the Lunar New Year for many countries. China has one of the largest galas, but you can view them all over the world. One of the best ways to celebrate the occasion is to actually stream one of the galas on the device of your choosing. You should be able to easily search online for the gala of your choosing, which will allow you to travel even when you’re stuck at home.

The Chinese New Year is a great time to bond with loved ones while celebrating the beginning of spring. These tips will help you to make the most of the occasion, even if you can’t get out and enjoy the festivities. Best of all, it will help you save some money, too!