This is from The Atlantic:

In 2011, February l7th “is observed as the Lantern Festival – the 15th and final day of Chinese Lunar New Year festivities. The holiday is the most important annual celebration in China, when the nation largely shuts down as families gather together for reunions and feasts. More than 2.5 billion passenger trips by air, rail, bus or sea are taken around the holiday, according to the Chinese government. The Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao Jie, will complete the welcoming of the Year of the Rabbit – from the Chinese zodiac, indicating a year of caution and calm, with a quiet underlying strength and determination.”

The Atlantic has some great pictures, as does the Wall Street Journal.

I’m adding this info and images to The Best Resources For Chinese New Year.