Chinese New Year 2024

The Chinese New Year, aka Spring Festival, marks the beginning of the lunar new year and is the most significant Chinese holiday. Rooted in mythology, it's said to have originated from the ancient fight against the mythical beast Nian, with the use of firecrackers and red decorations symbolizing luck and prosperity to ward off evil spirits. It has been celebrated for over 3,500 years, evolving from sacrificial ceremonies to the gods at the year's end for good harvests. Today, it initiates with the new moon that appears between 21 January and 20 February and lasts until the full moon, encompassing generally a 15-day period filled with various rituals and festivities, culminating in the Lantern Festival. Around 1/4 of the world’s population participates. Family reunions are central to the celebrations, with millions traveling home in one of the world's largest annual human migrations, known as Chunyun. Practices include thorough house cleaning to sweep away bad fortune, decorating homes with red lanterns and couplets, exchanging red envelopes (hongbao) containing money for luck, and enjoying lavish feasts with symbolic dishes, such as fish served whole (including head and tail) symbolizing a prosperous start and finish to the year. Each year is named after an animal, believed to influence personality traits and fortune, and associated with an element. 2024 is the Year of the Wood Dragon. More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year Art&Text supported by ChatGPT.