February: Festivals & Observances
Love is in the air! This February, we spotlight the importance of Honesty (信) as our value of the month, nurturing a foundation of integrity, openness, and trust among our children. Through engaging activities and meaningful discussions, we aim to instill the value of truthfulness in their everyday interactions. Join us as we celebrate National Storytelling Week (国家故事讲述周), a time to ignite the imaginations of our young learners. Embrace the festivities of Chinese New Year (春节) and the Lantern Festival (元宵节), where cultural exploration takes center stage. Children will delve into traditional customs, create vibrant lanterns, and explore the significance of these joyous celebrations. Feel the love as we explore the heartwarming traditions of Valentine's Day (情人节). From crafting heartfelt cards to expressing kindness, we celebrate the joy of friendship and compassion.
February Educational Assets | February Festival Overview | February Language List | February Festivals Character Cards |
National Storytelling Week Resources | National Storytelling Week Overview | National Storytelling Week Activities | National Storytelling Week Ideas |
1st to 28th February - LGBT History Month - LGBT Includes all areas of diversity and difference in the local community and the wider world, including family diversity. It aims to promote tolerance and raise awareness of differences in people's relationships. See more.
1st to 7th February - World Interfaith Harmony Week - World Interfaith Harmony Week came about as a result of a UN resolution for a worldwide week of interfaith harmony proposed in 2010 by HM King Abdullah II and HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan.
Read more.
10th February - Chinese New Year - Chinese New Year 2024 falls on Saturday, February 10th, 2024, and celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival on February 24th, 2024. Celebrations last up to 16 days, but only the first 7 days are considered a public holiday (February 10th–February 16th, 2024). Chinese New Year marks the transition between zodiac signs: 2024 is the Year of the Dragon; 2023 the Year of the Rabbit.
Chinese New Year Resources | Chinese New Year Overview | Chinese New Year Zodiac Story | Chinese New Year Stick Puppets |
14th February - Valentine's Day - Valentine’s Day, when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. Given their similarities, it has been suggested that the holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I forbid the celebration of Lupercalia and is sometimes attributed with replacing it with St. Valentine’s Day, but the true origin of the holiday is vague at best. Valentine’s Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th century. See Valentine's Day Activities here.
Lantern Festival Resources | Lantern Festival Overview | Lantern Festival Story | Lantern Festival Riddles |