Why Chinese living in Northern China like eating (饺子jiǎozi) dumpling (with meat and vegetable stuffing) at Chinese New Year’s Eve (除夕chúxī)?

It is because dumpling looks like shoe-shaped gold ingot (元宝yuánbǎo). People like to think that eating dumpling will bring fortune and good luck to them and their family in the coming year.

This Chinese New Year, I asked my foreign friend Jim help me to organize a gathering for some of my students, so that they have an opportunity to meet others in different stages of learning. I also made some dumplings for them because I hope all of my students have a better understanding of Chinese culture as well as enjoy the atmosphere of Chinese New Year.