My background is half Chinese-American and half Hungarian-American. We didn’t participate in many Chinese traditions in our household, but we did (and continue to) spend every Chinese New Year at my grandmother’s apartment to enjoy a meal as a family. Because most of the family’s tastes are pretty Western, our usual meal consists of Chinese take-out. Roast pork lo-mein noodles, general tso’s chicken, pan-fried pork dumplings, beef and broccoli, that kind of thing.

Researching for this illustration taught me so much about the traditions of Chinese New Year: the decorations and the foods like longevity noodles, whole fish, and rice cakes. I learned a lot and had so much fun putting this scene together.

See more of the project on the @lunarcalproj instagram.