The 15th day of the Chinese New Year is the Lantern Festival (元宵节 yuán xiāo jié). It traditionally marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebration. On this day, popular activities include lighting up lanterns, guessing lantern riddles, eating yuan xiao (a kind of rice ball), and enjoying time with families or lovers. Chinese New Year, the grandest festival for Chinese people, is celebrated for more than half a month.According to the oldest traditions, people follow a day-by-day schedule of Chinese New Year festivities from the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, with specific things to do on certain days. The legal holiday is seven days long, from the Lunar New Year's Eve to the sixth day of the first lunar month. Some companies and public institutions enjoy a longer holiday up to 10 days or more, because in common knowledge among Chinese people, the festival lasts longer, from the Lunar New Year's Eve to the 15th day of the first lunar month (Lantern Festival). Pre-Chinese New Year Preparations and Activities (Jan. 7–Feb. 12, 2025) Jan. 7, 2025: Laba Festival. Some Chinese start to celebrate and prepare for Chinese New Year as early as day 8 of the 12 th month of the lunar calendar. Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is the grandest festival in China, usually with a 8 days' holiday. As the most colorful annual event, the traditional CNY celebration lasts longer, up to two weeks, and the climax arrives around the Lunar New Year's Eve. Chinese New Year in 2025 falls on January 29 and ends with the Lantern Festival on Feb. 12. Celebrations last up to 16 days; the Chinese public holiday lasts from Wednesday to Feb. 4. What is the Chinese New Year. 1 st Day of the 1 st Month. January 29, 2025. Lantern Festival. 15 th Day of the 1 st Month. February 12, 2025. Qingming Festival. 15 th Day After the Spring Equinox. April 4, 2025. Dragon Boat Festival. 5 th Day of the 5 th Month. May 31, 2025Double Seventh Festival. 7 th Day of the 7 th Month. August 29, 2025. Mid-Autumn How is Chinese New Year celebrated? Spring Festival is a time for families to come together, exchange money-filled red envelopes (红包, hóngbāo), and enjoy delicious Chinese food. The Chinese New Year is a 15-day holiday and includes a variety of festivities depending on the region and its local traditions and customs. Lunar New Year falls on different dates each year, but always falls between February 10 and February 24 of the international standard calendar. Its traditional Chinese celebrations last for 16 days, from Lunar New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival. In 2025, Lunar New Year will fall on Wednesday, January 29th and start a year of the Dragon. Celebrations of Chinese New Year traditionally last for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival. The public holiday in 2025 is from January 28th to February 4th, lasting 8 days. This year, the 15-day festival begins Friday and will be a time for adherents to usher in a new year with a variety of cultural traditions. Here's everything to know about the 2025 Lunar New Year Half-day on Chinese New Year's Eve and the first day of Chinese New Year. [51] 1 Hong Kong: Lunar New Year: The first 3 days of Chinese New Year. [52] 3 Macau: Novo Ano Lunar: The first 3 days of Chinese New Year [53] 3 Indonesia: Tahun Baru Imlek (Sin Cia) The first day of Chinese New Year. [54] [55] 1 China: Spring Festival (Chūn Jié) Laba Festival (Jan. 7, 2025): Old Chinese New Year Calendar Start. Traditionally, the start of the Chinese New Year calendar is 'The Laba Festival' (腊八节 Làbājié), which occurs about three weeks before Chinese New Year's Day and is celebrated separately. Religious activities and preparations for Lunar New Year would begin on this day. The holiday is sometimes called the Lunar New Year because the dates of celebration follow the phases of the moon. Since the mid-1990s people in China have been given seven consecutive days off work during the Chinese New Year. This year, the 15-day festival begins Friday and will be a time for adherents to usher in a new year with a variety of cultural traditions. Here's everything to know about the 2025 Lunar New Year On the 29th or 30th day of the 12th lunar month, every household pastes “New Year’s red” referring to Spring Festival Couplets, Door Gods, New Year Painting, Fortune characters, Paper-cutting window decorations, and others, which are red festive elements posted during Spring festival, so they are collectively called “New Year’s red”. Celebrate Chinese New Year 2025 from January 29 to February 12, marking the Year of the Wood Snake. Enjoy family gatherings, traditional dishes, and vibrant parades during this 15-day festival. This year, the 15-day festival begins Friday and will be a time for adherents to usher in a new year with a variety of cultural traditions. Here's everything to know about the 2025 Lunar New Year During Chinese New Year, people have a long list of things to do. From one week preceding the festival to the 15th day after, many Chinese New Year customs are widely observed for thousands of years. The family reunion dinner, eating dumplings, and setting off firework are the must-dos that you might know. What else interesting do the Chinese do?
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