The New Year celebration I'm accustomed to always falls on January 1st at midnight. However, Chinese New Year comes on the second new moon after the winter solstice, usually between January 21st and February 20th. This year, the day was February 17th. Chinese New Year is one of the biggest celebrations of the year for many communities around the world. Streets and shops are decorated with many lanterns and banners, and people spend time with family, eat and spread their joy around whatever town or city they come from. I also got to experience the Pingxi Lantern Festival in Taiwan, which happens near the end of the New Year celebrations.
I learned a lot more about the various ways people celebrate Chinese New Year across Asia. During this holiday, families gather and people clean their homes, adorn their streets with red and gold decorations, give children envelopes with money and share big meals together. In Singapore, many neighborhoods and areas such as Chinatown become even more lively than usual with lights, markets and performances. The Pingxi Lantern Festival, which I was lucky to be able to experience during my time in the Pingxi District of New Taipei City, Taiwan, marks the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations.
