February is the shortest but the busiest month of the year. The last month of the meteorological winters in the northern hemisphere start with the celebration of the Lunar New Year in different countries. Lunar New Year is the observance of the beginning of a new year in a lunar or lunisolar calendar. Basically, Lunisolar Calendar consists of 12 months, each month corresponding roughly to one cycle of the moon. Lunar New Year is observed in numerous Asian countries, marking the first moon in the lunar calendar. The date of the Lunar Year generally starts from 1st February. February 2022 Holidays Calendar With Festivals & Events: Vasant Panchami, Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year; Know All Important Dates and List of Indian Bank Holidays for the Month.

Which Countries In Asia Celebrate Lunar New Year?

One of the well-known Lunar Year celebrations is the Chinese New Year when people enjoy a week off to celebrate with their families. The 16 day-long festival is all about exchanging red envelopes, praying to ancestors, reunion dinner with family during the Spring festival, dragon and lion dances, and much more. The Lunar New Year is actually a time of beliefs. Year of the Tiger 2022: What the New Year Has in Store for You, Check Out Chinese New Year Horoscope Predictions.

Influenced by the Chinese New Year many neighbouring countries in Asia have developed their own New Year celebrations. The Chinese Singaporeans also celebrate the Chinese New Year, which is a two-day public holiday. Like Singapore, there are two cultural events for Chinese Malaysians, called Pai Thnee Kong. On the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, Malaysian people offer flowers, fruits, and other authentic food items to Jade Emperor to celebrate his birthday.

The Lunar New Year was passed to the Vietnamese people and has stayed relatively intact through the centuries, known as Tết Nguyên Đán in Vietnamese. The sacred celebration which lasts up to 6 to 9 days marks the arrival of spring in Vietnam.  Likewise, South Korean New Year, also known as Seollal is a traditional festival where people wear hanbok, perform ancestral rites, and eat traditional foods with their families. In Mongolia, the Lunar New Year is also called Tsagaan Sar, and is usually the first celebration of the year. The origins of the Lunar New Year festival are thousands of years old and are steeped in legends like the beast Nian. It is estimated that about 1.5 billion people around the world observe Lunar New Year.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 31, 2022 11:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).