How do the Chinese celebrate their Lunar New Year? What types of foods are made for the meals on this special day? Would you like to enjoy the same types of foods with your family and friends? The Chinese New Year's celebrations held in-country and by those of Chinese ancestry around the world are colorful and exciting. If you already have pictures of giant paper dragons in your head, you're not far off. Food also plays an important role in Chinese New Year's festivals. The family is their society's basis, and many Chinese people travel back to the country to celebrate the holiday. In some homes, if family members can't make it back, their spot at the dinner table will be left empty. The Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival. At this time, a monster they know as Nian came to terrorize their villages. People would traditionally hide inside their houses and prepare feasts that included offerings to their gods and ancestors, hoping for good fortune. For the traditional Chinese New Year dinner, family members bring their special dishes to add to the feast. The Chinese pride themselves on their food and much thought and care are put into the menu for this important day. Read on, and learn how to make some of these unique dishes...