Diana Elizabeth Steffen blogger phoenix author

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year! It’s the year of the Tiger. Did you know 20% of the world celebrates the Lunar Calendar Year?

Diana Elizabeth Steffen phoenix bloggerDiana Elizabeth Steffen blogger phoenix author

Wearing my mom’s stage dress. HMUA Michael Franco

I
was born the year of the rooster, and Benjamin is the year of the dragon. My mom is the year of the tiger and my dad is the ox. Do you know your Chinese Zodiac sign and characteristics? I used to love seeing the placemats at Chinese restaurants about the year we were born and talking about it. If you don’t know yours, click here to read more about it and the celebration.

It’s a 16 day celebration and I grew up with my mom always heading up the traditions with her friends. I’m so grateful for that, and the very little Mandarin and Cantonese I know. I know that some second generation American Born Chinese don’t always have the opportunity to learn or don’t have much cultural traditions shared and that’s dependent on the parents and household (and don’t feel guilty no one has control over what is shared or taught within their household). But I’m just glad I know the little that I do.

It’s a fun feeling to have cultural traditions and well I’ll find any excuse to celebrate you know me. This year I celebrated by buying almost all of the Famille Rose plate collection from Williams Sonoma! How amazing to be able to eat and wash this vintage Chinese rose medallion style in the washing machine and use in the microwave.

While most of the world goes by the Grecian calendar, you can find an excuse to celebrate with some Chinese food (or any Asian food) because why not! PS – You have 16 days of celebrating!


Diana Elizabeth wants to throw parties just so she can wear fun clothes. That’s a part of it, right?

Diana Elizabeth is an author, photographer, and obsessive thrift shopper. You can typically find her in the garden wrist deep in dirt, at a local estate sale or planning her next creative themed party. She continues to blog weekly.

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