Feb 12, 2025
Lantern Festival 2025
Happy Lantern Festival 2025!
About Lantern Festival 2025
This Doodle celebrates the Lantern Festival in several countries around the world. It’s a holiday that marks the first full moon of the new lunar year, pays homage to ancestors, and represents peace and forgiveness. On this day each year, people create red lanterns that symbolize good fortune and release them into the night sky.
Lantern Festival is typically observed in East Asia, in places such as China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and across the Asian diaspora globally. Its origin can date back to as early as the Qin Dynasty, and there are several legends about why it’s celebrated. A popular one details the primordial god, Yudi who, after learning his favorite crane was killed, wanted to see the realm of mortals burned to the ground. To help save their homes, a being advised the villagers to release lanterns into the sky to create the illusion of a town ablaze — thus thwarting Yudi’s wrath.
Festival goers celebrate the turn of the year with activities like lion and dragon dances, fireworks, riddle exchanges, and more. Delicious rice balls with sweet fillings, tangyuan, and yuanxiao, are also shared and enjoyed. Each lantern is unique in its design, made of vibrant colors and ribbons, with New Year's resolutions and wishes written on sky lanterns.
Happy Lantern Festival!
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