Lunar New Year traditions and celebrations: A look at the Chinese New Year

2025 marks the Year of the Snake. Last year, 2024, was the Year of the Dragon, and 2026 will be the Year of the Horse.


News Desk January 23, 2025
Photo: @ciaris_chiaraa on Instagram

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Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, is the most significant holiday in China and Chinese communities globally.

Celebrated not only in China but also in Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and more, the festival spans two weeks filled with family gatherings, feasting, fireworks, parties, and parades.

For over 3,000 years, Lunar New Year marked the start of a new year according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which bases dates on both the moon and the sun.

The new year begins with the first new moon after the winter solstice and before the spring equinox, falling anywhere between January 21 and February 20.

China officially adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1912, but by the late 20th century, Lunar New Year was reintroduced as the "Spring Festival."

Though there's no fixed schedule for celebrations, certain days carry specific rituals and traditions. Here’s a look at some of the key moments in the Lunar New Year festivities.

In the days leading up to the new year, Chinese households engage in thorough cleaning to sweep away bad luck from the past year and prepare the home for incoming good fortune.

It is believed that sweeping during the festival's first few days could sweep away the newly arrived luck, so brooms are typically stored away.

During this time, communities also decorate with red, the color of joy and good fortune. Homes and businesses are adorned with red paper cut-outs, lanterns, and fresh red paint on doorways to usher in positive energy for the new year.

One major tradition is the “reunion dinner,” where families gather to celebrate the new year and wish for good things to come.

The order of the animal signs in the Chinese zodiac is fixed, with the Snake being the sixth in the cycle, making 2025 the Year of the Snake. Last year, 2024, was the Year of the Dragon, and 2026 will be the Year of the Horse.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Jennevie Shih (@jennlshih)

Each year is also associated with one of the five basic elements in Chinese cosmology—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, or Earth—which creates a 60-year cycle.

The event features vibrant lantern displays, lion dances, and parades. Lanterns, traditionally displayed both outdoors and inside temples, were originally created by monks to honor Buddha and guide lost souls home, but today, they represent joy and hope as the festival comes to a close.

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