Creative and Fun Wedding Ideas Made Simple Creative and Fun Wedding Ideas Made Simple
Whether the bride-to-be has Chinese roots or not, how fabulous would it be to throw her a bridal shower with a unique Chinese New Year theme! Right around early February each year, it’s a chance to celebrate the start of the traditional Lunar Calendar—with all the decorations, customs, symbols, favorite dishes, and attire that mark this holiday with a bang. So come along on the ‘Chinese dragon parade’ with these styling ideas for your shower!
Ideas for Hosting a Chinese New Year Party
1 – Want a more modern take on a Chinese table setting? Then, this dinner setup from Apples and Onions should spark some great ideas! Love the perky green and white floral centerpieces, and the simple place settings topped with traditional ‘fortune envelopes.’
2 – A fun backdrop idea would be garlands or hanging bunches of Chinese firecrackers (faux ones, of course)! This image found via Cat’s Creations shows what a striking accent they’d make with their traditional graphics and bold red and gold color.
3 – Almond cookies are another traditional holiday sweet. You can home-bake a scrumptious batch for the shower, with this simple how-to from Sylvia of Peaches and Donuts (recipe adapted from Bread et Butter). She assures us they’re ‘meltingly crumbly’ and delicious!
4 – Can’t celebrate the New Year without a bowl of noodles! These traditionally symbolize long life and good fortune among the Chinese. And these Cold Sesame Noodles from Appetite for China (recipe and great tips included) look absolutely delectable!
5 – Pineapples are also believed to be auspicious, so these Fortune Pineapple Tarts would be perfect to serve. They are pastry crust pillows shaped like pineapples, filled with sweet-and-tangy fruit pulp. Yum! To give as favors, simply package them in individual red bags (the color of good fortune), as in this festive example from Wen’s Delight featuring PrimaDeli’s tarts.
6 – For a New Year cocktail, consider the Imperial March which we found on Pinterest. It’s a blend of raspberry syrup, cognac, and Chinese black tea—topped off with champagne, then garnished with fresh raspberries and a sprig of mint.
7 – What about everybody getting dressed up in traditional Chinese attire or accessories? There are dozens of online sources and images (like this one we found on Pinterest) to help hosts and guests find the prettiest silk cheongsams, jackets, caps, even slippers. A fun way to get everybody into the New Year spirit, and the photos will be great!
8 – These crisp and crunchy delights are Chinese egg rolls. ‘My Mother’s Famous Chinese Egg Rolls,’ to be exact—as described by Jaden of Steamy Kitchen. You’ll be thoroughly entertained by her mama’s ‘rules’ for filling, wrapping, and frying these rolls to perfection!
Great idea! Happy New Year from Hong Kong!
Happy New Year to you, too, over in HK, Cindy! You must be having a blast (pun intended) there! 🙂