Happy "Noon" Year 2017

On the last day of the year, kids gathered at the Gordon-Nash to celebrate "Noon Year's Eve", counting down the minutes and seconds until noon and a celebration for 2017. While we waited, we read favorite books like LeUyen Pham's A Piece of Cake and Aaron Reynolds' Creepy Carrots. We made noisemakers from decorated paper towel tubes and and embellished party hats with stickers and streamers. We had refreshments - juice boxes, apples and cheese, penguin crackers, and candy canes.

We played a fun game that Japanese kids play at New Years. It's called fukuwarai, and it involves placing paper facial features on a blank paper face. But kids have to do it blindfolded, or with their eyes closed! It was so funny to open our eyes and see the silly face on the table. Fukuwarai means "lucky laugh" - and that's what everyone did when they looked at their face!

When the countdown timer showed noontime was getting near, we counted down the minutes and then the seconds. When the screen announce "Happy Noon Year!!", everyone tossed streamers in the air and blew their noisemakers. We paraded around the library and wished other patrons a "Happy Noon Year". Then we listened to Auld Lang Syne, the song that people play when one year ends and another begins. 

That's how we celebrated New Year's at the Gordon-Nash! We'll save the game to play again next year! Happy 2017!