As many Canberrans were relaxing in their homes on Wednesday night, millions of Chinese people around the world were returning to their families for the most important night of the year.
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Trains, buses and planes were filled to capacity as Chinese workers made their annual migration from their jobs in the city to their hometown in time for new year's eve, marking the beginning of the spring festival.
It was no different for Chinese communities in Canberra and around Australia, according to Lyn Ning, president of Federation of Chinese Community of Canberra, the ACT's largest Chinese community group.
"This is similar to what you do in the Western world for Christmas," Ms Ning said.
"My family in China and most of my friends have a public holiday so there were huge celebrations.
"Unfortunately we have to go to work here."
While the streets were as quiet as many could expect for a Wednesday evening, Chinese families were enjoying annual traditions with their families at homes around the nation's capital.
Unlike bigger festivities in Sydney or Melbourne, celebrations in Canberra were a little more intimate.
Xiang Lei's large family of more than 20 converged on her sister-in-law's Ngunnawal home to celebrate the new year over a family feast with plenty of seafood.
"The food has slightly changed [in Australia]. We're cooking more seafood now – you can buy lots of fresh seafood here," she said.
"We talk to each other and have a lovely meal together and the kids play together."
Ms Lei said the new year was always centred on family – and the dinner table.
"It's really important for me," she said. "In Chinese tradition, we have to be together, all the family. It's really important to everyone it is a safe, happy and relaxing start of the year."
Ms Ning, whose family hails from a far north-eastern province in China, said she had to wait until midnight Wednesday to welcome in the new year.
"We did some symbolic things [including] eating some Chinese dumplings," Ms Ning said.
"Last night we gave red envelopes to our children with cash inside as a symbol of good fortune."
While Ms Ning's children received $20, many parents in China might easily quadruple that figure.
"Most people in China would put more. They would put 500 yuan [about $100] average – working families in China," she said.
This year heralds the year of the goat, although Ms Ning admits there could have been some error in translation.
"It's very controversial because there are many different ways of translating this: year of the sheep, goat or year of the ram," she said.
"The goat for us is an animal of gentleness. Very loving, caring and gentle."
