The two week New Year’s festival, is one of the only opportunities migrant workers have to go home. A massive snowstorm last year prevented many from making the trip home to the countryside in 2008. This year, due to factory closures and job loss many who are heading home say they will not be returning to the city after the holiday is over. Train tickets sold out quickly and thousands of people had to use savings to purchase expensive tickets from scalpers. 2009 is the Year of the Ox.