What may look like a typical home dinner for Naperville resident Nancy Chen and her family is actually part of a special tradition in observance of the Lunar New Year.
“This is the most important holiday in the Chinese tradition,” Chen said.
What is the Lunar New Year?
The holiday follows the lunar calendar instead of the Western calendar, meaning the new year begins with the first new moon between late January and mid-February, and marks the beginning of spring.
The Lunar New Year has been celebrated for thousands of years across many Asian cultures, including Vietnamese, Korean, and more. Each lunar year is tied to one of 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac, with this year’s being the horse, a symbol of energy, independence, and perseverance…