This year the Tibetan New Year falls on February 14, the same day as the Chinese New Year, which isn't always the case. Although it's still two weeks away, celebrations are already underway for the province's largest festival of the year.

The streets of Lhasa are buzzing with celebration as Tibetans prepare to see in their traditional new year. Taking part in an annual religious ceremony, pilgrims flocked to the Jokhang Temple to burn incense and take down last year's prayer flags. The coming new year means they will be replaced with new prayer flags, which have wishes for the new year written on them.

A monk from the temple says the ceremony holds special significance for Buddhist believers.

Across the world at this time of year people make resolutions and start thinking about what the year ahead might have in store for them and their families.

Here in China the main celebration's for the New Year – Chinese Lunar New Year or The Spring Festival– are still some way off – you'll have to wait until February 14th for that. But even so, New Year's Day is a public holiday in China and marks the official beginning of 2010.

So this weekend we went out and asked ordinary Chinese people: what are your hopes for 2010? Here's what they had to say - in today's Straight from the Street.

We're right in the middle of holiday season with Christmas and New Year behind us, but Chinese New Year fast approaching. This year, the lunar New Year coincides with Valentine's Day, another western festival that is often also celebrated in China.

With the increasing prevalence of western festivals marked in China, we asked ordinary Chinese residents want they first thought of when they think of Chinese culture. Here's what they had to say in today's edition of Straight from the Street.

China's movie industry is going from strength to strength. From total revenue of just over $600m for the sector just 4 years ago, the income from box office takings alone in 2009 is estimated to have hit over $850m. This marks the fourth consecutive year where year-on-year growth exceeded 25%; and if that continues this year, 2010 could see movie earnings break the $1bn figure - and China's box office market become one of the top ten worldwide.

Nick, I mean Agent Nick, must find a 6000-year-old person (that's right, a 6000-year-old person). If you want to know if he succeeds or not, you have to watch the episode.

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