Beginning on the night of the second new moon following the winter solstice, the Lunar New Year festival celebrates the coming of spring and a time of renewal. It also marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon, the fifth of the 12 animals associated with the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Dragon ends on January 28, 2025.

Parades, parties, and other special events mark the Lunar New Year festival for people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan, and Mongolian heritage in many parts of the world. Celebrants set off firecrackers to ward off evil spirits and clean their houses to signify a moment of renewal before spring. They write couplets and give gifts to celebrate the coming year. Festive lanterns, colored red and gold for luck, are hung as decorations, and celebrants prepare customary foods to honor the traditional planting season.

Considered by many to be the most auspicious sign in the Chinese zodiac, people born in the Year of the Dragon are said to be successful, wise, and powerful. In fact, many consider the dragon to be so favorable, they plan for children to be born under the sign. Every 12 years, many Asian communities experience a baby boom because of the allure of the dragon, the only mythical creature in the zodiac.

Five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, and water—are also associated with each year’s animal sign. In 2024, the Lunar New Year will mark the beginning of the Year of the Wood Dragon. Characteristics of the Wood Dragon differ from those of other elemental dragons—they are said to be quieter and more introverted, but also successful, strong leaders who dedicate themselves fully to their work.