Bidding farewell to the mythical Dragon, the world welcomes the Year of the Snake on January 29 — the first day of the Lunar New Year. For those who celebrate this ancient festival, starting the year on a positive note is essential.
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Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Indonesians of Chinese descent hold up joss sticks as they pray during the celebration of the Lunar New Year of the Snake at Hok Lay Kiong Temple in Bekasi, Indonesia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) (Dita Alangkara/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Visitors stroll a street decorated with a big dragon shaped lantern for their Chinese Lunar New Year celebration which marks the Year of the Snake on the Chinese zodiac Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, at China Town in Yokohama, south of Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (Eugene Hoshiko/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Chinese people offer candles and pray at a temple during their New Year day of the Snake at Chinatown in Yangon, Myanmar, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw) (Thein Zaw/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake A performer dances as people gather at the Ditan Temple Fair on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) (Aaron Favila/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake A performer juggles plates during a presentation at the crowded Ditan Temple Fair on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) (Aaron Favila/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Worshippers visit a temple to pray a temple on the first day of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) (ChiangYing-ying/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Ethnic Chinese Thais pray at Leng Nuei Yee Temple to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (Sakchai Lalit/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Cambodian ethnic Chinese people offer prayers during the Lunar New Year at Phnom Praseth outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (Heng Sinith/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake A man holding incense sticks prays on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Lama Temple in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) (Aaron Favila/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake A girl in a traditional dress eats as people gather at the Ditan Temple Fair on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) (Aaron Favila/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake An Ethnic Chinese Thai holds a candle light and prays at Leng Nuei Yee Temple to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (Sakchai Lalit/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake A man prays during the celebration of the Lunar New Year of the Snake at Hok Lay Kiong Temple in Bekasi, Indonesia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) (Dita Alangkara/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake People buy toys at the crowded Ditan Temple Fair on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) (Aaron Favila/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake A snake figure is displayed as people gather at the Ditan Temple Fair on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) (Aaron Favila/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake A woman lights incense sticks with prosperity wordings as she offers prayer on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (Andy Wong/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake People buy food at the Ditan Temple Fair on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) (Aaron Favila/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Ethnic Chinese Thais pray at Leng Nuei Yee Temple to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (Sakchai Lalit/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake People watch a lion dance performance at the Dongyue Temple on the first day of the Chinese New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (Andy Wong/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Worshippers go to pray at a temple on the first day of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) (ChiangYing-ying/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake People watch an artist performs an acrobatic lion dance at the Dongyue Temple on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (Andy Wong/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake A Cambodian ethnic Chinese member decorates a red lantern during the Lunar New Year at Phnom Praseth outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (Heng Sinith/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake An Ethnic Chinese Thai prays at Kwong Siew Shrine to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (Sakchai Lalit/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Worshippers visit a temple to pray on the first day of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) (ChiangYing-ying/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Chinese artists perform a lion dance at the Dongyue Temple on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (Andy Wong/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake A woman in a traditional costume prays on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Lama Temple in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) (Aaron Favila/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Worshippers visit a temple to pray on the first day of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) (ChiangYing-ying/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake An artist performs a lion dance to cheer the visitors at the Dongyue Temple on the first day of the Chinese New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (Andy Wong/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake People touch during a lion dance performance at the Dongyue Temple on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (Andy Wong/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Chinese people visit a temple during a Lunar New Year celebration at Chinatown in Yangon, Myanmar, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw) (Thein Zaw/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Chinese people pray at a temple during a Lunar New Year celebration at Chinatown in Yangon, Myanmar, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw) (Thein Zaw/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Malaysian ethnic Chinese watch a lion dance performance on the first day of Lunar New Year at Guandi Temple, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) (Vincent Thian/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Cambodian ethnic Chinese people offer prayer during the Lunar New Year at Phnom Praseth outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (Heng Sinith/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Cambodian ethnic Chinese people offer prayer during the Lunar New Year at Phnom Praseth outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (Heng Sinith/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake An artist performs an acrobatic lion dance at the Dongyue Temple on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (Andy Wong/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Worshippers visit a temple to pray on the first day of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) (ChiangYing-ying/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake A Cambodian ethnic Chinese member burns incense stick as she offers prayer during the Lunar New Year at Phnom Praseth outside Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (Heng Sinith/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake People watch as an artist performs an acrobatic lion dance at the Dongyue Temple on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (Andy Wong/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Worshippers visit a temple to pray on the first day of the Lunar New Year celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) (ChiangYing-ying/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Burned incense sticks with prosperity wordings are seen as people offer prayer on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) (Andy Wong/AP)
Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake Revelers light sparklers near the Dvortsovy (Palace) Drawbridge on the Neva River raised and illuminated during Lunar New Year celebrations in St. Petersburg, Russia, early Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP)
