No, it's not just the day after Valentine's Day. It's the Chinese Lantern Festival, and the Boomerang Box - which is on its way to Shanghai - may get to join in the celebrations!

The Lantern Festival occurs on the 15th day of the First Month of the Chinese New Year. This year, its date is February 15th! The Lantern Festival marks the end of the New Year's Holidays. The Lantern Festival is celebrated with many glowing lanterns, special foods such as dumplings, and riddles that are written on pieces of paper for people to solve.

In Chinese, the Lantern Festival is called the Yuanxiao Festival. "Yuan" means "first" and "xiao" means "night." This name signifies that the date of the Lantern Festival is the first night of the full moon in the Chinese New Year.

How did the Lantern Festival begin?

Well, no one knows for sure, but people have many different ideas of how this festival began.

Some people believe that an ancient Chinese emperor began the festival thousands of years ago as a way of worshipping the gods. He used candles as part of his ceremony, and soon everyone started celebrating with brightly lit candles and lanterns.

Other people think the festival began when a homesick maid convinced the emperor to have a big celebration with lanterns and fireworks. In the excitement of the festival, she was able to slip away to see her family.

Still other people believe that the festival was started to celebrate the longer days that come with the approach of spring. The lanterns people light signify comfort, warmth, and hope. At the Lantern Festival, people share their hopes for a good new year.

Would you like to celebrate the approach of spring at your school? Would you like to celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival?

Here's what you can do:

First, you'll need to make a lantern. You can find a fun pattern at http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/re/keynotesamples/Lantern%20Festival.pdf

Next, you'll need a list of riddles. How many good riddles do you know? Can you write them down?

Have everyone in your class hold a lantern. Tape your riddles to the wall. Then go around your classroom and see who can answer the most riddles!

Happy Lantern Festival!

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