Értóng Jié Kuàilè! Happy Children’s Day! On June 1, the Chinese celebrate Children’s Day. Internationally, it is celebrated on several different days. It’s a day to remember and celebrate children, the future custodians of the country. The holiday’s origins date back to a 1925 international conference, with the intention to bring about child welfare awareness. The first official International Children’s Day was designated in 1954.

On this day, children are the main focus!  Adults pledge to give children love, good families, great educations, and all the things they need to grow happy and healthy.  Children not only receive cards and gifts, they also have a day off from school and get to have lots of fun! Many special events and parties are organized for the day, including free entertainment. Parks, children’s museums, palaces, movie theaters, etc., are all opened for free! Performances and parades are also scheduled.  It is one of the most memorable days of the year for Chinese children and is a very widely celebrated holiday!

We don’t typically make a very big celebration out of Children’s Day in our family. However, we do acknowledge it and get out to do something fun together.  The most important idea, for me, is to spend some quality time with my children doing something that they enjoy.  I want them to know how valued, treasured, and loved they are every day, but Children’s Day is a terrific excuse to get out and have a little extra fun together!  Today we went to one of their favorite frozen custard shops.  Before lunch.  I’m breaking all the rules today.  Értóng Jié Kuàilè!