The Lantern Festival (Simplified: 元宵节; Traditional: 元宵節/元宵; Hanyu Pinyin: yuánxiāojié) is a traditional Chinese festival/holiday, which is celebrated by the Chinese in many countries. On the Chinese calendar (a lunar calendar), the Lantern Festival is on the fifteenth day of the first month, making it the first major festival after the Chinese New Year. The Lantern Festival is also known as the Little New Year since it marks the end of the series of celebrations starting from the Chinese New Year. Koreans celebrate this festival as the Daeboreum. Vietnamese also celebrate this festival as tết trung thu. (fall lantern festival)

During the Lantern Festival, children go out at night carrying bright lanterns. In ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple, for only the emperor and noblemen had large ornate ones; in modern times, lanterns have been embellished with many complex designs. For example, lanterns are now often made in shapes of animals.

Traditionally, the date once served as a day for love and matchmaking. It was one of the few nights without a strict curfew. Young people were chaperoned in the streets in hopes of finding love. Matchmakers acted busily in hopes of pairing couples. Often, those with brightest lanterns were deemed good luck and hope.

Those who do not carry lanterns often enjoy watching informal lantern parades. Other popular activities at this festival include eating tangyuan (Simplified: 汤圆; Traditional: 湯圓; Hanyu Pinyin: tángyuán), a sweet rice dumpling soup, and guessing lantern riddles, often messages of love.

The popularity of lantern festivals is spreading across the globe. One of the newest ones is the Lumiere Lantern festival in Ottawa, Canada. People can make their own paper lanterns and then get together for a night of performances, costumes and magical lanterns. (www.lumiereottawa.com)

-- wikipedia