The energy of the Fire Horse will be felt collectively. However, how we experience the energy of the pyro pony depends on our Chinese zodiac sign.

Feb. 17 marked the beginning of the Lunar New Year.

Lunar New Year begins February 17—here's what it celebrates, why dates shift, and what the Year of the Fire Horse means.

Chinese metaphysics consultant Vicki Iskandar tells PEOPLE exclusively about the Lunar Year's do's and don'ts

The Lunar New Year is welcomed with a variety of cultural traditions and rituals such as carnivals, parades, fireworks and ancestor remembrance.

Firecrackers, red lanterns and elaborate firework displays are also a large part of the Lunar New Year spectacle around the world. Togetherness is a key component of the holiday, and many families come together to start the new year off by preparing and enjoying a meal that will bring them luck, good health and prosperity.

“Right after (midnight) on New Year’s Eve, fireworks will be launched to celebrate the coming of the New Year as well as to drive away evil,” the Wake Forest University museum said. “It is believed that the person who launches the first firework of the New Year will have good luck.”