There's just something so intrinsically wonderful about Chinese New Year celebrations. The festivities, parades and lore just take all the hope for a bright future and wrap it up in foil and glitter.

I think the best part of it all is watching the dragon dancers say farewell to the year past and welcome another with such active excitement.

And then I thought ...

"Wouldn't it be cool if ...

"Maybe for next year ...

("I'd probably have to start now ...)

"I could get a bunch of kids together to make a costume ...

"And we could have a dragon parade of our own?"

Because really? Nothing promotes teamwork quite like a dozen or so kids covered in fabric trying to snake their way down a road.

Of course I'll probably forget all about it next year, but I thought making a design plan would make it seem possible:


So this is what I'm thinking we need:

* Two cardboard boxes - one larger and one smaller
* Lots of cereal boxes
* Faux fur scraps
* Some kind of plastic pipe
* A length of chicken wire
* About five yards of some red shiny fabric
* Paint (bright colors)
* Glue

And this is what I think we try to do with it all: