In places like Taiwan and Thailand the floating lantern is a vehicle for manifesting the hopes of those who light them. People fill the lanterns up with their wishes, and release them to float to the heavens and make their dreams come true. 

One lantern is a lonely thing, but a thousand lanterns lifting off into the air at once creates a fiery sky of reds and oranges and yellows that become a unifying spectacle of hope. Some celebrate the end of Lunar New Year with a release of lanterns, letting the bad luck of the old year float away and envisioning prosperity in the new year. 

The luckiest animal in the lunar zodiac, the rabbit, also brings peace and blessings. A white rabbit is a catalyst for transformation, and the epitome of self-protection. In the new year be sure to set boundaries like the ever-alert rabbit, but remain open to change. 

There is power in new beginnings.