What We’re Doing: Making Lucky Money Envelopes

This week we’re learning a bit about another culture by celebrating the Chinese New Year in our own little way.  As an initial introduction to the holiday, we read a quick book about the traditions associated with the festival.  The book’s narrator describes the envelopes that Chinese children are given during the New Year celebrations, which are red (a color of luck).  The best part?  These little envelopes contain money!

Now, my boys are 1.5 and 3 years old.  I could put some money in their lucky envelopes, but that would not be nearly as exciting for them as these chocolate coins, right?

We started our craft by folding a regular sheet of red construction paper into three parts to create an envelope.

I stapled the sides of the envelope to hold it together, although tape or glue would also work.

The boys were then tasked with decorating their lucky envelopes.  Casey dove right in and immediately began squeezing glitter glue on the outside of his envelope (as well as on his arms, his hands, his face, the table, you get the idea).

Gibbs was initially more interested in making weird faces at the camera.

Believe me.  I’ve tried to tame that hair.  It’s a lost cause.

Until he realized that a decorated envelope = chocolate.  Then he was quite enthusiastic about adding fireworks, flowers, stars, and a “green rainbow” to the outside of his envelope.

Casey liked the glitter glue fine, but he really liked the “money” inside.

And so did Gibbs.

Happy Chinese New Year!  By the way, it’s the Year of the Snake.  More on that later this week…