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Chinese New Year celebrations vary around the world.Chinese New Year, a holiday steeped in folklore and tradition, originated from an ancient Chinese legend. As the story goes, the beginning of each New Year brought the Nian, a terrible beast that preyed on livestock and villagers alike. After much suffering, the villagers discovered that the Nian feared loud noises and the color red, so on the first day of the New Year, they lit firecrackers and red lanterns, and hung red paper throughout their village. From that day on, the Nian never plagued the villagers again.

Since 1924, the Winter Olympic Games have preserved a time-honored tradition of inviting world-class athletes to come together in friendly competition. As the world prepares for the Winter 2014 Olympics in Russia, check out these Winter Olympic sites from recent years and take note of the activities that you can still enjoy there.