In China, this festival has been celebrated for more than 2,000 years with a variety of customs and traditions. The custom many people are familiar with is that of floating lanterns into the water on the night before the full moon at the end of winter, which falls around late February or early March.

The Lantern Festival, also known as the Yuanxiao Festival or Shangyuan Festival, is one of the most beloved holidays in China. Celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month (usually in February or early March), it marks the end of the Chinese New Year festivities and symbolizes the coming of spring.