China, Korea, Vietnam and beyond · cultural
The second new moon after the winter solstice — the largest annual human migration on earth.
The date moves each year with a lunar calendar — see when it falls.
The date moves, falling between January 21 and February 20. Each year carries one of twelve animals. Houses are cleaned before the new year so that last year’s bad luck is swept out, and not swept on the day itself in case the new luck goes with it. Children are given money in red envelopes.
Hundreds of millions of people travel home for it. It is the clearest example there is that a calendar can be tied to the moon rather than the sun — and that whole countries organize around that choice.
What a family can actually do
Clean something before, not during. Red envelopes. Find this year’s animal and last year’s.
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