Celebrate the Year of the Dog with Chinese-American Flair - Easy Tips for Hosting A Fire Cracking Chinese New Year Party

As if you needed another excuse to party, January 29, 2006 marks the beginning of the lunar year 4074, better known as the Chinese New Year. Much like its Western counterpart, this holiday is traditionally seen as a time to gather friends and family together to celebrate new beginnings.

Throwing your own Chinese-American themed party is a wonderful way to bring your loved ones together, warm up from the frigid winter, and renew those barely remembered resolutions. Below are some easy tips courtesy of Vroom Media, consultant for leading Asian brands, for throwing your own Chinese-American party for the Year of the Dog.

Invitations: Head down to Chinatown to pick up some pretty party invites. If you have no time to make it, order some online or send an e-greeting. Plenty of internet companies now offer cards specific to Chinese New Year. Not only will you save yourself a trip, but also the cost of postage.

Entree: There is always the option of ordering from your preferred take-out place, but there are plenty of simple dishes if you would like to cook your own. Noodles, a staple favorite, should be left uncut to represent a long life. Several brands found at your local grocer offer oven-ready egg rolls, spring rolls, and won-tons. Of course, you can never go wrong with chicken and soy sauce. Food can be placed in take-out boxes, available on-line and at local restaurants. Be sure to get lots of chopsticks.

Desert: A traditional Chinese "Tray of Togetherness," makes a wonderful desert. The tray is comprised of eight different dried fruit candies. Have fun and make your own combination using American favorites like jelly beans and M & M's. Fortune Cookies are always a hit. Make your own fortune and wrap it around the cookie.

Drinks: What is an Asian party without an authentic Asian beer? TIGER BEER, a premium import from Singapore and brand synonymous with Chinese New Year celebrations in Southeast Asia, enhances the flavor of the food and is available at www.freshdirect.com in New York and at grocers and supermarkets in major cities. Log on to www.TIGERBEER.us for specific vendors. Always have soda on hand for those who do not drink alcohol. Tea is another nonalcoholic beverage that suits the mood.

Decorations: Red, a color believed to scare away evil spirits, should dominate the palette of your decor and be complimented with accents of gold, a lucky color. Paper lanterns should be hung and candles spread around to create atmosphere. Plenty of stores offer these goods and they can also be found online. Google "party decorations" for an abundance of options. "Foo," the character for fortune and luck, highly displayed in China during the New Year, should be visible and can be placed on various surfaces, like napkins and door hangers, with magic marker. Oranges and tangerines, symbolic of luck and wealth, can be placed in bowels to make a beautiful and interesting conversation piece.

Dress code: Have everyone arrive in red, the color traditionally worn on this holiday. For a more unconventional scene have everyone come costumed as one of the twelve animals of the zodiac.

Gifts: Lai-See Envelopes filled with money are given to children, young adults, and newlyweds during this time of year. Find them at the above listed stores and fill them with fake bills or coupons for small prizes. Another idea is to go down to Chinatown and have an artist illustrate the names of those on your guest list. These can be used as seating place cards and taken home at the end of the night.

Entertainment: For some authentic fun set out mahjong tiles for guests to play. Scatter sheets of origami paper along with instructions for a fun, artsy activity. Rent a bunch of Kung Fu movies to play softly in the background and if things get rowdy have your own Jackie-Chan style competition. Download some current Chinese music from http://www.ibiblio.org/chinese-music/ and intersperse it with some Chinese-American influences like Yo Yo Ma, Wu-Tang Clan, and Michelle Branch. Dance the night away and give each other fake tattoos with Chinese characters.

The best part: Chinese Lunar New year lasts 15 days, giving you plenty of time to prepare. Remember to have fun and keep a smile on your face. Gung Hay Fat Choy!