Celebrating Lunar New Year around the world

Chinese Lunar New Year begins Sunday, according to the lunisolar calendar. And this year it's the Year of the Rabbit one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.

Observed by over a billion people worldwide, the major holiday,also known as Spring Festival, is not only celebrated by people of Chinese descent but also those ofEast Asian cultures.

With China lifting its zero COVID policy last month, many aretravellingto visit familyfor the first time since the pandemic began. Here's a look at how people are marking thenew year, traditionally a time forfamily gatherings, feasts and fireworks.

Mass movement of people

Travellers wait for trains at a packedShanghai Hongqiao Railway Station during the peak travel rush ahead of Lunar New Year in mid-January.

(Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Passengers board a trainat the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul on Friday.

(Ahn Young-joon/The Associated Press)

One of Canada's largest Lunar New Year parades was held Sunday in Vancouver. Among the many attendees was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative LeaderPierre Poilievre.

(Genevive Lasalle/Radio-Canada)

Hanging red lanterns

Red lanterns, a symbol of hope and a brighter future, are ubiquitous this time of year.Here, aman walks past trees decorated with lanterns at apark in Beijing on Friday.

(Mark Schiefelbein/The Associated Press)

Drivers wait ona street decorated withlanternsin Bangkok's Chinatown on Thursday.

(Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

A man walks byfestive lanterns in Taipei, Taiwan,on Wednesday.

(Sam Ye/AFP/Getty Images)

Visiting temples

Worshippers light incense and offer prayers, believed to bring good luck for the year, at the International Buddhist Temple in Richmond, B.C., on Friday.

(Ben Nelms/CBC)

(Ben Nelms/CBC)

A manpraysin Manila, Philippines,on Jan. 14.

(Kevin Tristan Espiritu/AFP/Getty Images)

Holiday preps

People browse for ornamentsat a shop inManila on Friday.

(Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images)

Women shopfor decorations at a market inJakarta, Indonesia, onJan. 12.

(Tatan Syuflana/The Associated Press)

Year of the Cat, too

Kim Phan Nguyn-Stone, pictured with her daughter in Vancouver, is excited about marking the Lunar New Year. Theyare among the many Vietnamese Canadians celebratingthe arrival ofTt Qu Mo(Year of the Cat).

(Ben Nelms/CBC)

Like the Chinese, the Vietnamese lunar calendar runs on a 12-year cycle, with each year corresponding to a zodiac animal. Here,people enjoyice cream next to a large cat statuein Hanoi, Vietnam, on Tuesday.

(Nhac Nguyen/AFP/Getty Images)

In Victoria, James Le, who holds a cat figurine a gift from his mother says the zodiac animal is an important part of their identity.

(Mike McArthur/CBC)

Gifting fruits

Tangerines, clementines and kumquats are traditionally given for prosperity and good health. Here, customersshop for tangerine treesin Hong Kong.

(Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

People walk past tangerine treesfor salein Manila's Chinatown district on Jan.14.

(Kevin Tristan Espiritu/AFP/Getty Images)

Pastries and snacks

The Lunar New Year's Eve meal is considered the most important meal of the year. Here, avendorsells traditional Chinese snacks in Yangon's Chinatown district in Myanmar ahead of the holiday.

(AFP/Getty Images)

Snacks are laid out for a celebration in Charlottetown onJan. 15 where about500 people gathered.

(Tony Davis/CBC)

A worker packs a new year gift box with traditional pastries at a Daoxiangcun, one of the best-known Chinese bakeries in Beijing, on Jan. 14.

(Caroline Chen/The Associated Press)

Lion dances

An important tradition,a lion dance is saidto bring prosperity and good luck for the coming year.Young people perform a lion dance at Pondok Indah shopping mall in Jakarta on Friday.

(Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters)

The Vancouver Lion Dance Association performs Lunar New Year routines choreographed to portray a lion's quest.

(Mike Zimmer/CBC)

A dragon dance performance is seenin Bangkok earlier this week.

(Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)