On February 10, we will celebrate Chinese New Year. This year is the Year of the Snake and is also a "water" year. The last Water Snake Year was 1953. To celebrate some of the traditions of Chinese New Year, let's send our partners each of the following things:

• An Asian edible (doesn't have to be Chinese only) ~ this could either be something produced in an Asian country or your own country's version of an Asian food. For example, in the US we have seasoning packets to make Chinese foods, noodle bowls, dry soup mixes, boxes of fortune cookies, etc.

• Two of the same edible, since happiness is said to come in twos. (This could also be a two-pack of an edible.)

• Something to be combined with water, such as a drink or soup mix. 2013 is a Water year; there are five Chinese elements that cycle each year .

• Something orange-flavored, because oranges represent luck and fortune.

• A red food or food in red packaging. Red is associated with good luck, fortune, and happiness.

We will send out items for each of the five categories above. (Items only count for one category each.) Please let your partner know which food items belong with each thing. Let's spend a minimum of $7 and be sure to include a note wishing our partners a happy new year!

These things are also very important in sending out a nice swap, and they are considered requirements of this swap:

• Send foods in commercially sealed packaging for health and customs reasons. Be sure to check expiration dates before sending.

• Be courteous by sending our swaps on time and rating our partners when we receive. In the rare circumstance that you must be late, it is expected that you will contact both your partner and the swap host.

• Package your swap appropriately to protect the contents. Zip-top baggies are smart for containing unexpected breaks and leaks. Boxes rather than envelopes should be used for fragile items. We all appreciate the efforts taken to keep our swaps enjoyable!

Happy Year of the Water Snake!