Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a significant traditional festival celebrated by Chinese communities worldwide. It marks the beginning of the lunar new year according to the Chinese calendar, typically falling between late January and mid-February. It's a time for family reunions, festive gatherings, and cultural customs like giving red envelopes (hongbao), setting off fireworks, and enjoying special foods like dumplings and fish. Each year is associated with one of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac, rotating in a twelve-year cycle.