Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — After three years of pandemic-era travel restrictions, millions of families around the world are celebrating the Lunar New Year, which is widely considered the most important festival in the Chinese calendar.
The 15-day celebration – also known as the Spring Festival – begins this year on January 22, when the Year of the Rabbit replaces the Year of the Tiger.
Traditional Lunar New Year celebrations include the exchange of red greeting envelopes containing sums of money, fireworks, lion dances, and travel.
In mainland China, Chunyun, the 40-day period surrounding the festival, sees many Chinese return to their hometowns to celebrate with their families – often called the world’s largest human migration.
And this year, after China finally eased COVID-19 restrictions, it is expected that more families will be able to gather both inside and outside the country to celebrate the New Year.
