Zip Code Day 2/09/12

Takoma Plays will celebrate our zip code day with two hours of games, yoga, dress-up, puzzles and a singalong.

Next door in the community center, 6-8 PM, Thursday, 2/09/12.

Year of the Water Dragon

The Chinese New Year celebration begins Monday the 23rd, at the new moon, and lasts until the full moon, February 6th, which is the festival of lanterns. (A day by day account.)

The dragon is the symbol for the coming year. (Specifically the water dragon, part of the 60 year cycle.) But, according to this site, as the animal years/months/days follow the solar calendar the dragon begins on February 4th (the 5th in some years) rather than on the lunar new year. (See below)

Wear red. It's a Chinese good luck color.

Attend the parade and other festivities. January 29th in Chinatown, on H Street NW between 6th and 8th Streets, 2–5 PM. Dragon dance, music and a giant firecracker explosion.

Look at the nine dragons painting from the Sung dynasty.
And the Yangliuqing paintings.

And learn an Asian language (or English). We offer a number of options through Mango:

• Cantonese Basic
• Cantonese Complete
• Mandarin Basic
• Mandarin Complete
• Mandarin Little Pim (for very small children.)
• English for Cantonese Speakers
• English for Mandarin Speakers

Remember - this new moon is not just a Chinese holiday. The Vietnamese Tê't begins at the same new moon and is celebrated for three days. And this is the Korean New Year, Seollal, also celebrated for the first three days of the new moon. You can learn, with Mango

• Korean Basic
• Korean Complete
• Vietnamese Basic
• Vietnamese Complete
• English for Korean speakers
• English for Vietnamese speakers

You will need a current card from this library.

Continue reading "Year of the Water Dragon"

MLK Day 2012

The library will be closed Monday, January 16th.