Today is officially the beginning of the Chinese New Year…the year of the Monkey! If you’re feeling festive, it really is easy to pull off a quick party theme…especially since you can order takeout from your local Chinese restaurant and add thematic touches with store-bought items like fortune cookies and chopsticks! So we pulled off a fun celebration with several family friends over the weekend…a semi-new tradition started by my youngest son a couple years ago! I’d like to share some of the simple ideas for a Chinese New Year or even a casual, Chinese takeout dinner party…it’s easy to make a simple meal simply festive!
2016…the year of the monkey!
one of the most wonderful things about this celebration is that almost all of the food came from a box or a bottle…and i’m not talking about the wine! i found this beautiful lazy susan at an antique store just in time to use on my party table! i picked up several bottled sauces and thought i’d make a useful centerpiece by placing all the condiments for the egg rolls, etc. on this spinning platter which is popular for serving Chinese family-style meals!
and a fun idea for labeling the sauces and all the dishes on the table…
i just opened up a package of fortune cookies, printed off some labels on the computer, cut them to size, and slipped them into the seam of the cookie! i love the way they look like a real fortune peeking out…and it was a really fun way to make some food labels that fit right in with the theme!
monkey fun…
the treat table included a jar of traditional fortune cookies…but my favorite (that i shared on friday’s post) is the silicon cupcake liners with a fortune printed on the bottom! these fortune cakes make a fun alternative to the common cookie! and i can’t think of a more whimsical and appropriate topper to the mini cakes than monkeys from that classic game!
the extras were topped with my favorite dark chocolate cookies from Trader Joe’s!
i decided to string this accordion-style paper dragon (from Party City) over the mirror with a little fish line & packing tape! the tiny Buddha and fan were some of the trinkets my son brought back from his travels…but you can find similar things in party supply shops and Chinese grocery stores. if you really look around your house when you entertain, you’d probably be surprised at all the party accessories you may already have…no matter what your theme!
as soon as the light started to dim, it was time to fill the dipping bowls…
i piled a bunch of sweet peppers on a plate beneath the pepper jelly dip…i think it looks cute AND you can eat them!
some fresh fruit gets skewered onto what else? CHOPSTICKS!
this tasty shrimp came prepared right from the store…once you dump it into a serving bowl, no one will ever know that you didn’t make it unless you tell!
and even though most guests will know you didn’t make the egg rolls by hand…i don’t think they will care a bit! in fact, in my case, they may really appreciate that i bought them! these were pretty big so we just cut them in half so they would go farther!
i filled a footed glass with packages of chopsticks but most everyone just reached in with their hands…my kind of party!
friends gathered around a table of food, kids playing (and making a festively fun mess with the confetti poppers), and an evening filled with conversation…
Cassie
March 2
Such beautiful decorations!! Very tastefully creative and fun!
Lori
March 3
Thank you for the lovely comment! It was fun to do!!