Feb 15, 2022
Lantern Festival 2022
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates the Lantern Festival on the first full moon of the Lunar calendar. Traditions call for celebrants to light lanterns and send them floating into the sky as a symbolic act that honors one’s ancestors and symbolizes the release of the past while shining a light on the year to come.
Modern-day celebrations of the Lantern Festival have ancient roots. Stretching back over 2,000 years to the start of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the customs that characterize the holiday are a testament to the power of China’s oral storytelling traditions. The most common type of lantern seen across the skies today are small orbs, but many artisans create unique designs that take on all sizes and shapes—from giant dragons to lanterns small enough for children to carry.
To add an extra element of fun, many people slip small pieces of paper inscribed with riddles inside their lanterns. Some riddles are even made so difficult, they’ve earned the nickname “lantern tigers,” as it’s said it's easier to fight a tiger than solve them!
Happy Lantern Festival!
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