Year of the Snake Lunar New Year roundup with SO many photos

Two billion people around the world are celebrating Lunar New Year, and even though I grew up with the traditions, I never knew WHY we do these things. Why do we wear red? Why do we have lion dances? I asked cultural experts in Seattle for this Seattle Times story.

Here's a link: https://www.seattletimes.com/life/culture/what-to-know-about-lunar-new-year-traditions/

Happy new year!

I took a walk through Bell Square, which is all decorated for Chinese New Year. Nearly every store displayed New Year's merch or at least something red or snake-themed in its front window. It's capitalism, I know, but also representation.

A weekend full of Chinese New Year activities! The boys loved getting red envelopes filled with chocolate coins.

I tried convincing him legal tender is better, but Paul prefers counterfeit currency. That he can eat.

When you look up and there's a guy walking down the street with someone standing on his shoulders!

Mak Fai lion dances through the Chinatown-International District. There was a some kind of football game on, so not a lot of people, but that meant I got a great view and a great parking spot. The neighborhood lion dances are my favorite part of the New Year's celebrations. It's like lion trick or treating, only with firecrackers.

Celebrated Chinese New Year with this feast at Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐 Lincoln Square. You know it's a fancy place when it's super dark inside (seriously, why do restaurant designers do that??). The Kurobuta pork xiao long bao is always a good idea, along with its variations (Kurobuta pork and crab, Kurobuta pork and truffle). This time we also tried the chocolate and mochi xlb, it was like biting into a chocolate fountain. Not pictured: DTF's bubble tea game was on point too, with warm and soft boba.