Celebrations Ignite the Lunar New Year Across Asia and Beyond

The Lunar New Year kicked off with widespread celebrations worldwide, bringing families together for food, fireworks, and cultural rituals that reflect the significance of the Year of the Snake.

As the world welcomes the Year of the Snake, more than a billion people partake in Lunar New Year festivities that transcend borders. From bustling cities in China to vibrant communities in the Philippines and around the globe, Tuesday marked a joyous occasion filled with fireworks, family gatherings, and elaborate feasts.

The first new moon heralding spring falls on Wednesday, signaling the start of new beginnings and accompanied by the age-old traditions loved by many. Known locally as Seollal in South Korea and Tet in Vietnam, the lunisolar New Year serves as a vital cultural celebration across Asia. In China, the holiday ignites the largest annual migration as hundreds of millions travel from urban centers back to their hometowns, navigating crowded roads, train stations, and airports.

Although customs vary, common themes unite the celebrations: honoring family ties, ancestral rituals, and public festivities. Many gather at temples, offering traditional foods and lighting incense as a sign of reverence for their forebears and elders. The giving and receiving of red envelopes containing money hold special significance for children in China, symbolizing blessings from relatives. Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, lively dragon dances fill the streets, believed to invite luck and prosperity for the year ahead.

As communities worldwide bid farewell to the Year of the Dragon and embrace the new chapter of the Year of the Snake, the spirit of togetherness and cultural pride shines through in every celebration. From dazzling firework displays to sumptuous feasts, the Lunar New Year remains a cherished time for unity and hope.