Hello! My name is Vee Lewandowski; I’m a senior Illustration major at Lesley University College of Art and Design, and Smudge Ink’s spring intern! When I’m not creating art I love learning about sharks, playing dungeons and dragons, and using excessive exclamation points! Excitement!
Chinese New Year is on February 8th this year, and we’re entering the year of the Monkey. It’s a celebration of the Lunar New Year that is centuries old and full of traditions and importance. I had to do plenty of research for this since I’m not from a household that celebrates Chinese New Year and I learned a lot! The celebrations include lion and dragon dances, fireworks, a lot of time with family, and much more. 
While fortune cookies are an American invention, we weren’t able to whip up the more traditional mooncakes that are found in China. So instead we found this tutorial by Sugar and Charm on how to fold your own paper fortune cookies that’s easy and quick.
We have three designs for you to slip inside them, and all three relate to the celebrations! Lotus flowers are a favorite in China, and represent long life, honor, humility, and tranquility (good things to focus on and start fresh with for the lunar new year). The red paper lanterns are hung in windows and doorways and along the street to add to the atmosphere. And dragon dances are performed during the festivities, and believed to bring good luck. Dragons are seen as possessing dignity, wisdom fertility, prosperity, and great power. I definitely want a slice of that!
Click the link below to download and print the free printables:
Lunar New Year Fortune Cookie Printables
Fold these paper fortune cookies (again, you can see the tutorial here) and give them to friends and family who you care about, send them into the lunar new year with well wishes and hopes for good luck, tranquility, dignity and so much more!
