“民以食为天”，新春佳节之际当然离不开饺子。曼校的庆新春，贺吉祥的第一项活动就是包饺子，曼校师生围聚一堂，双手轻轻揉捏，将馅料包裹进面皮，同学们在包普通的饺子同时，更有创新包出了“小太阳”“小包子”“小元宝”等姿态各异的水饺，让人忍俊不禁。

“福”字可以说是所有汉字里最吉祥的了，它有丰富的内涵。据《尚书》记载，它的寓意有：长寿、富、康宁、好德、考终命。难怪中国每逢春节就要在门上、窗上贴上福字，接福气。今年曼校师生在校园里贴上了四百多张福字。此外，中文组教师和学生到养老院为老人们送“福”，在曼校前台为前来接送孩子的家长写“福”，也在书法教室为自己写“福”。

中文组准备了丰富多彩的游园活动。身着汉服、马面裙等传统服饰的学子们穿梭其间，衣袂飘飘，仿佛从历史中走来，他们本身就是一道流动的风景。书法案前，学生们屏息凝神，提笔挥毫，一副副寓意吉祥的春联在笔尖诞生；庭院空中，彩色毽子上下翻飞，投壶活动的欢声笑语与中国风校园相映成趣。在剪纸案前，曼校学子的剪刀在红纸上蜿蜒游走，顷刻间变幻出栩栩如生的窗花、福马……

曼校庆新年，贺吉祥的最后一项活动就是精彩纷呈的舞台表演。《世界赠与我的》合唱空灵优雅；学生舞狮队腾跃起舞，小小的金红雄狮，焕发出无限的活力；音韵铿锵的《木兰诗》朗诵，展示着中国传统吟诵的魅力。学子们金石玉声的《声律启蒙》，余音绕梁。相声逗得学生捧腹大笑，学生演唱动人心弦。表演艺术组主任Daniel编排了戏曲《牡丹亭》与《玉簪记》，让人叹为观止。

"As food is the need of the people," the Spring Festival is inseparable from dumplings. The first activity in MIS's New Year celebrations was making dumplings. Teachers and students gathered together, gently kneading dough and wrapping fillings in pastry skins. While making traditional dumplings, students creatively crafted various shapes—"little suns," "small buns," and "tiny ingots"—bringing knowing smiles to everyone's faces. When steaming hot dumplings emerged from the pot, students cupped bowls and blew gently on their contents—soft dumplings and savoury fillings bursting with flavour on their tongues. As they ate the dumplings made with their own hands, smiles spread across their faces. Dumplings symbolise reunion and abundance; eating them is a ritual that brings completeness and good fortune. In each bowl of steaming dumplings, we knead together what was scattered, welcoming the vibrant new year at winter's end.

The character "Fu" (福) is perhaps the most auspicious in all of Chinese writing, rich with meaning. According to the "Book of Documents," its blessings include longevity, wealth, health and peace, virtue, and a natural end. No wonder every Spring Festival sees "Fu" characters posted on doors and windows, welcoming good fortune. This year, MIS teachers and students placed over four hundred "Fu" characters around the campus. Additionally, Chinese Department teachers and students visited a nursing home to present "Fu" to the elderly; they wrote "Fu" at the school reception for parents picking up their children; and in the calligraphy classroom, they wrote "Fu" for themselves.

The Chinese Department prepared a wealth of activities for the Spring Fair. Students dressed in traditional costumes—Hanfu and horse-face skirts—moved gracefully among the crowds, their flowing robes seemingly walking out of history, themselves a living, moving spectacle. At calligraphy tables, students concentrated intently, wielding brushes to create Spring Festival couplets filled with auspicious meaning. In the courtyard, colourful shuttlecocks flew up and down, while the laughter from pitch-pot games harmonised beautifully with the Chinese-style campus.

The final activity in MIS's New Year celebrations was a spectacular stage performance. The choir's rendition of "What the World Gave Me" was ethereal and graceful; the student lion dance troupe leaped and twirled, the small gold-and-red lions radiating boundless energy; the resonant recitation of the "Ballad of Mulan" showcased the charm of traditional Chinese chanting. Students' powerful delivery of "Prosodic Enlightenment" lingered in the air. Cross-talk performances had students roaring with laughter, while solo songs touched hearts. Daniel, Head of Performing Arts, choreographed excerpts from "The Peony Pavilion" and "The Jade Hairpin," leaving audiences in awe.