Good fortune arrives before the New Year
On the afternoon of January 31, 2026, the community activity center of the Fifth Neighborhood Committee in Fengpu Subdistrict was filled with the fragrance of ink and laughter. The Shanghai Youdao Public Welfare Service Center brought a traditional Spring Festival-themed activity to the community’s children— “Fun with Calligraphy: Children Joyfully Welcome the New Year.”
Listening to New Year customs and understanding their good wishes
Thanks to Ms. Ying Manwen’s vivid and engaging explanations, the children not only learned about parallel couplets in Spring Festival poetry but also came to understand the beautiful meaning of reunions and well-being behind the character “福” (fu, meaning good fortune).
Small hands rub good wishes, red paper shines brightly
With sleeves on and sponge brushes dipped in gold paint, the children, guided by their teacher, focused intently on imprinting the special 福 character onto the red paper. Though the templates were the same, each piece was a one-of-a-kind childhood New Year wish.
A children’s handwritten couplets, a message for the New Year
Holding pens, copying, writing… the children carefully left their childish yet sincere handwriting on the red paper: “Good fortune and auspiciousness come, peace and joy arrive with blessings,” “Peace and joy arrive with good luck, the Year of the Horse brings great fortune and good luck”… The horizontal scroll is full of childlike fun and with profound meaning.
A small gift carries great sentiment and abundant goodwill
At the end of the event, each child received a carefully prepared New Year’s gift. Holding their own artwork and gifts, their smiling faces became the warmest sunshine of the winter.
Parents gave it a thumbs up: “Experiencing traditional New Year customs through fun is such a wonderful activity! ”
The spirit of the New Year is the inheritance of both our culture and the warmth created by our own hands. This Spring Festival wishes for good fortune have been passed from the hands of children into their hearts .