Community members are invited to come celebrate the Year of the Rat at Muriel Arnason Library on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 2 to 3 p.m.
While Chinese New Years will be officially celebrated one week before (Jan. 25), the festivities will still be commencing at the library; this will be Muriel Arnason’s 12th annual Lunar New Year celebration.
The event is free and open to all ages; multicultural dances, crafts (including how to make a “lucky” envelope), draws, displays, and food samples will all be part of the afternoon.
Sarwan Randhawa, library supervisor, said people should expect a very diverse celebration.
“There will be a number of attractions including traditional music and dance, a variety of coloring and crafts, displays, draw prizes, and delicious refreshments,” Randhaws said. “Every year we try our best to bring together a variety of art from different cultures to highlight the beauty of our Canada’s multiculturalism.”
Italian, Mongolian, and Korean dances will all be part of the program, as will an array of different foods to try including bean paste cake, crispy cookies, fortune cookies, lotus root candies, rice cake, watermelon pastry, lucky candies, mini almond cookies, mini mandarin oranges, and green tea.
Randhawa also explained that lucky envelopes have become a favourite craft for kids – based on a Chinese New Year tradition.
“The children make a red envelope, and then they get the chocolate gold coins from the library staff that they put in the envelope, ” he explained. “In Chinese Culture, the color red symbolizes energy, happiness and good fortune, and giving this gift is a way to share your blessings.”
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Muriel Arnason Library is located in the Township of Langley Civic Facility at 20338, 65th Ave.
There is no need to bring anything or register.
“These celebrations offer local residents an opportunity to enjoy a variety of multicultural activities while learning about other cultures,” Randhawa concluded. “It also helps in creating awareness, and cultivating respect for all people, regardless of colour, gender, class, sexual orientation, national, ethnic, or religious orientation/identity.”
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