Hello to all you English learners! How are you enjoying the winter? In Nagoya, the temperature keeps fluctuating, but it has not been terribly cold this year. Let's all start looking forward to springtime and the beautiful weather to come.

However, before we get ahead of ourselves, we should enjoy the wonderful winter celebrations that are still happening. For example, right now, Chinese people around the world are enjoying the start of their New Year. Let's learn a little more about the 2025 Lunar New Year.

The Lunar New Year is one of the biggest celebrations in China, bringing together hundreds of millions of people as they head home to spend time with family. This year is no exception—airports, train stations, and bus stations are packed with travelers making their annual journey. This year marks the Year of the Snake in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle. The celebrations kick off on January 29 and can last up to 16 days, with the first seven being national holidays. According to Reuters, international travel is especially popular this year. One travel agency even reported that "bookings for outbound flights and vacation packages on its platform had doubled from last year." The most popular destinations are in Asia.

The AP news agency calls China’s Lunar New Year "the world's biggest annual movement of humanity." With modern high-speed transportation making travel easier than ever, the number of people on the move has skyrocketed. Xinhua news agency predicts that this year’s trips will "reach record highs." When the first Lunar New Year holiday started in China around 3,500 years ago, most people stayed close to home. But thanks to China's rapid economic growth, billions of people have relocated for work, education, or new opportunities. This massive yearly migration isn't just about family reunions—it also gives a big boost to the economy, especially in tourism, hospitality, and retail. Please feel free to bring up this topic the next time you come to BRIDGE!

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Chinese New Year