SAN FRANCISCO – Preparations were underway on Tuesday in San Francisco Chinatown to celebrate the year of the snake.

The sound of fireworks was continuous.

This holiday is the most important in Chinese culture.

The celebration centers around family, food and good fortune.

Families get together for dinner to enjoy traditional dishes, including what’s called “poon choi,” which includes chicken, scallops, and mushrooms.

One key ingredient is “fat choi,” a moss that symbolizes good fortune.

Any seafood dish such as shrimp is presented with the head and tail intact.  

“This is salt and pepper prawns in Chinese culture. It’s important to have a beginning and an end to everything: career, school, education,” said Shelby Wu of G & Y Bakery Cafe.

Chinatown merchants said the eve of the Lunar New Year is usually the busiest day of the year.  

Shopper May Rong said the celebration is a way for her to educate her children about tradition.  

Observances  are characterized by symbolism.

“We usually have these tangerines. It means prosperity and wealth,” said Jonathan Sit of BeChinatown.

He points to the stems and leaves left on the fruit to signify longevity. 

Fruitful Dreams is a produce store that opened recently just in time for the new year.

Owner Gigi Wu showed off the fruit baskets her shop offers.

Fruits are popular gifts when visiting family and friends during the holiday period.

Good Mong Kok Bakery is a popular take-out spot for dim sum.

It offers sweets made only for this holiday, including a Chinese New Year cake made with brown sugar.

Vanessa Shieh of Oakland visited Lion Trading, a shop that sells decorations for the home.

She bought hangings for her doors in red and gold, popular collars for Chinese celebrations.

The shop also sells “lai see,” red envelopes for people to fill with money.

They are given by married people usually to older folks, children and those who are single.

This is the year of the snake.

People born under this zodiac animal are said to have certain characteristics.

“They are very strategic, very careful when it comes to planning out their next move,” said Lucas Li whose family owns Lion Trading.

At the end of the business day on Chinese New Year’s Eve, some merchants lit firecrackers to chase away evil spirits and usher in good luck.

There are celebrations in Chinatown on Lunar New Year Day, which falls on Wednesday. 

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU