Occasionally our family likes to take a time out from our usual dinner routine and enjoy something unique from a culture different than ours. 
Last week, since Chinese New Year was in full swing, we thought it would be a great opportunity to enjoy a part of the rich Chinese culture. Oftentimes we celebrate with extended family or a couple of families in our neighborhood but this year we decided to try something a little more trouble-free and just celebrated with our little family.
We started by bringing one of our Lifetime 6 foot folding banquet tables up from the basement and placing it (with the legs unfolded) on a couple of short storage bins. This allowed the table to sit about 18 inches from the ground. Although sitting on the floor isn’t necessarily a dining practice in the Chinese culture, some close friends started doing this a number of years ago and our two boys now look forward to it so we continue to “celebrate” Chinese New Year in this fashion. (Chinese tables are most often round, with a rotating server set in the center). 
After decorating the table with a table cloth and assorted Chinese New Year décor, we were ready for the important part . . . the food. We ordered take out from one of our favorite Chinese restaurants. This time we ordered a couple of my favorites, Walnut Shrimp and Tangerine Beef.
I was impressed how well my five year old son was able to manipulate his chopsticks after just one quick lesson. Our two-year-old preferred to use one of his chopsticks as a “sword,” fortunately no injuries were reported during the meal. It was a memorable family meal and a fun way to usher in the Chinese New Year.