Every Chinese New Year, her grandmother, Lai Mun Chan, creates the animal of the new year from vegetables – with this year’s animal being the dog. 

May-Fei’s grandmother decided to create a dog mimicking her own pooch, Annie, who she adopted from Horsham PAWS two years ago. She grows most of the vegetables herself.

“To celebrate, she creates the respective animal out of vegetables. Last year she made a rooster and two chicks,” she said. 

May-Fei said her grandmother and her parents were born in Asia while she and her brother were born in Australia. 

“When Mum and Dad settled in Australia, along with my uncle, my grandmother decided to come here and help look after the kids,” she said. 

“We’ve hosted Chinese New Year every year ever since. Chinese New Year is about family, friends and food.”