Long before streaming, social media and cable’s Food Network, my older sister Pam, like myself, was a fan of watching the kitchen celebrities of PBS-TV.

Lunar New Year starts on January 29th and marks the year of the snake. The snake symbolises wisdom, charm, and strong intuition. To celebrate, why not create your own super cool, interactive snake to show off to your family and friends.

Here's when the Chinese New Year starts in 2025, how long it lasts, where the Lunar New Year is celebrated and your guide to the Year of the Snake.

Jan. 29 will mark the first day of the Lunar New Year celebrating the snake, the sixth zodiac of the lunar calendar. The snake is said to have finished sixth in "the Great Race," held by the Jade Emperor, ruler of all gods within Chinese mythology, to select the 12 zodiac animals.

The Year of the Snake is upon us as communities across the Bay Area celebrate Lunar New Year, Chinese New Year and Tet. Here’s just a sampling of ways to join in the celebrations.

While the New Year begins as soon as the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, the Chinese Lunar New Year comes a few weeks later. In 2025, the new moon on Jan. 29 marks a fresh beginning for those who celebrate — and it signifies the formal switch from the year of the dragon to the snake’s year-long reign.