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The Year of the Horse: Chinese New Year Celebrations Around the World

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Friday, January 31 marks the beginning of the Spring Festival, the literal translation of the celebration of Chinese New Year. For two weeks, families around the world will gather for commemorations with dances, fireworks, meals, gifts of money in red envelopes (both physical and digital) and decorations with handwritten poetry, culminating with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month in the lunar year.

Each year in the Chinese calendar has a corresponding zodiac animal, and today marks the turnover from the Year of the Snake to the Year of the Horse. Here’s a look at Chinese New Year celebrations around the world.

Performers dance at the 2014 Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade on Jan. 31, 2014 in Hong Kong.
Performers dance at the 2014 Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade on Jan. 31, 2014 in Hong Kong.Lam Yik Fei—Getty Images
Worshippers burn incense to pray for good fortune on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at Dafo temple in Chongqing municipality, Jan. 31, 2014.
Worshippers burn incense to pray for good fortune on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at Dafo temple in Chongqing municipality, Jan. 31, 2014. Shi Tou—Reuters
Fireworks illuminate the skyline to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year of Horse and cause severe air pollution on Jan. 30, 2014 in Beijing.
Fireworks illuminate the skyline to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year of Horse and cause severe air pollution on Jan. 30, 2014 in Beijing.Feng Li—Getty Images
Fireworks explode in a street of Shanghai on the eve of Chinese New Year on Jan. 30, 2014.
Fireworks explode in a street of Shanghai on the eve of Chinese New Year on Jan. 30, 2014. Peter Parks—AFP/Getty Images
A Lion Dancer takes a break during a practice session on Jan. 29, 2014 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A Lion Dancer takes a break during a practice session on Jan. 29, 2014 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Nicolas Axelrod—Getty Images
Dancers perform a fire dragon dance in the shower of molten iron spewing firework-like sparks during a folk art performance in Beijing
Dancers perform a fire dragon dance in the shower of molten iron spewing firework-like sparks during a folk art performance to celebrate the traditional Chinese Spring Festival on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at the Happy Valley amusement park in Beijing January 31, 2014. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon (CHINA - Tags: ANNIVERSARY SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)KIM KYUNG-HOON—REUTERS
A man sets off fireworks as residents celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year in Shanghai, Jan. 31, 2014.
A man sets off fireworks as residents celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year in Shanghai, Jan. 31, 2014. Carlos Barria—Reuters
Fireworks illuminate a residential area to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year of Horse and cause severe air pollution on Jan. 30, 2014 in Beijing.
Fireworks illuminate a residential area to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year of Horse and cause severe air pollution on Jan. 30, 2014 in Beijing.Feng Li—Getty Images
A man films the fireworks display using his phone in Chinatown, on the eve of Chinese New Year in Manila, Philippines, Jan. 30, 2014.
A man films the fireworks display using his phone in Chinatown, on the eve of Chinese New Year in Manila, Philippines, Jan. 30, 2014. George Calvelo—NurPhoto/Corbis
Worshippers burn incense and pray at the Wong Tai Sin Temple to welcome the Chinese New Year of the horse in Hong Kong on Jan. 30, 2014.
Worshippers burn incense and pray at the Wong Tai Sin Temple to welcome the Chinese New Year of the horse in Hong Kong on Jan. 30, 2014.Philippe Lopez—AFP/Getty Images
The London Eye is lit in red and gold on the eve of the Chinese New Year in London on Jan. 30, 2014.
The London Eye is lit in red and gold on the eve of the Chinese New Year in London on Jan. 30, 2014.Leon Neal—AFP/Getty Images
Indonesian performers dressed as mermaids wearing traditional Chinese cheongsam dress perform underwater in a special program celebrating the Lunar New Year at Jakarta's Ancol park on Jan. 31, 2014.
Indonesian performers dressed as mermaids wearing traditional Chinese cheongsam dress perform underwater in a special program celebrating the Lunar New Year at Jakarta's Ancol park on Jan. 31, 2014. Romeo Gacad—AFP/Getty Images
A Visitor passes the trees decorated with red lanterns at the Spring Festival Temple Fair for celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year of Horse at the Temple of Earth park on Jan. 30, 2014 in Beijing.
A Visitor passes the trees decorated with red lanterns at the Spring Festival Temple Fair for celebrating Chinese Lunar New Year of Horse at the Temple of Earth park on Jan. 30, 2014 in Beijing.Feng Li—Getty Images
Folk dancers hold horse models as they prepare to take part in a traditional horse dance on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at the Longtan park in Beijing Jan. 31, 2014.
Folk dancers hold horse models as they prepare to take part in a traditional horse dance on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at the Longtan park in Beijing Jan. 31, 2014.Kim Kyung-Hoon—Reuters
Visitors view a performance at a temple fair celebrating the Lunar New Year, known as the Spring Festival, in Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan Province, Jan. 31, 2014.
Visitors view a performance at a temple fair celebrating the Lunar New Year, known as the Spring Festival, in Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan Province, Jan. 31, 2014. Li An—Xinhua Press/Corbis
A man dressed as a Qing Dynasty emperor performs in a reenactment of an imperial ritual ceremony praying for good harvest in the coming year at the Temple of Earth park on the Spring Festival in Beijing Jan. 31, 2014.
A man dressed as a Qing Dynasty emperor performs in a reenactment of an imperial ritual ceremony praying for good harvest in the coming year at the Temple of Earth park on the Spring Festival in Beijing Jan. 31, 2014. Alexander F. Yuan—AP
Performers dance during a temple fair to celebrate the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, in Beijing, Jan. 31, 2014.
Performers dance during a temple fair to celebrate the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, in Beijing, Jan. 31, 2014. Li Jundong—Xinhua/Sipa USA
A man prays for good fortune while holding incense on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Petak Sembilan Temple, in Jakarta, Jan. 31, 2014.
A man prays for good fortune while holding incense on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Petak Sembilan Temple, in Jakarta, Jan. 31, 2014. Beawiharta—Reuters

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