Lunar New Year — which includes Chinese New Year, Seollal in Korea, Tet in Vietnam and more — begins on Jan. 29, kicking off more than two weeks of parties, customs and copious feasts. Why does Chinese New Year fall on different dates? Rather than following the western Gregorian Calendar with 365-day years, the Chinese New Year follows a lunar calendar based the moon's 12 phases The Vietnamese New Year celebration of Tet, short for Tet Nguyen Dan which means “festival of the first day”, is celebrated over three days as opposed to the traditional 15 of the Chinese New The Chinese New Year of 2025 falls on January 29th (Wednesday), and will last to February 2nd. It is the Year of Snake. As an official public holiday, Chinese people can get eight days' off from work, from January 28th to February 4th. The Chinese New Year of 2026 falls on February 17th (Tuesday), and will last to February 21th. It is the Year It is the Year of the Snake according to the Chinese zodiac, which features a 12-year cycle with each year represented by a specific animal. People born in the Years of the Snake including 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, and 2025 will experience their Zodiac Year of Birth (Ben Ming Nian). 2026 Chinese New Year falls on Feb. 17th and it is Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. Chinese New Year 2025 will fall on Wednesday, January 29th. The date changes every year but is always somewhere in the period from January 21st to February 20th. The Chinese Lunar New Year, starting Jan. 29, 2025, marks the Year of the Wood Snake. It’s celebrated for 15 days, ending on Feb. 12, or Lantern Festival. What is Lunar New Year? Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, marks the start of a new zodiac cycle based on the Chinese lunar calendar. Each year, the date shifts within the Gregorian calendar. Lunar New Year is celebrated around the world, particularly in Asian countries like China, shown here (Beijing). Jan. 29 marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year, one of the most important festivals in many Asian countries, including Vietnam, China, Korea and the Asian diaspora. Many travel back to their There are many legends of how the Lunar New Year festival originated. One legend that dates back thousands of years is that of Nian, a beast who ate human flesh on New Year’s Day. Each Chinese lunar year has a Chinese zodiac sign animal. The Chinese zodiac year's stsarting date is a little different from the Gregorian year. It starts from Chinese New Year. The Chinese zodiac years chart below is provided to help you find out the exact starting and ending dates of the Chinese zodiac years. (This is especially useful for Some believe that this sweeps away bad luck and makes room for incoming blessings. However, sweeping or cleaning on New Year’s Day is avoided, as it could sweep away good fortune. Special Foods and Festive Customs of Chinese New Year. Food is an essential part of Chinese New Year celebrations, with each dish carrying symbolic meanings. Today, January 29, marks the start of the Chinese New Year, which this year is the Year of the Snake. With that in mind, let’s look back on some of the most iconic legless reptiles from the world of professional wrestling. Stone Cold Steve Austin (“The Texas Rattlesnake”) Because the dates of Chinese New Year change every year, individuals born in January or February will need to pay special attention to their birth date in addition to their birth year. Chinese Zodiac Calculator. If you don’t know your Chinese zodiac use our calculator below to quickly find your animal sign by entering your birthday, and be First, the Chinese calendar is measured by different animals and this year is the year of the rooster and like the Jewish Passover Festival, Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar, not the solar calendar. This is why Easter falls on a different Sunday every year. During Chinese New Year, almost every home puts banners on their door. The origin of the Chinese New Year Festival can be traced back to about 3,500 years ago. Chinese New Year has evolved over a long period of time and its customs have undergone a long development process. A Legend of the Origin of Chinese New Year. Like all traditional festivals in China, Chinese New Year is steeped with stories and myths. Chinese New Year is thought to date back to the Shang Dynasty in the 14th century B.C. Under Emperor Wu of Han (140–87 B.C.), the tradition of carrying out rituals on the first day of the Come out to the biggest Chinese New Year party in the Central Valley! Let's celebrate the year of the Snake! There will be lion dance teams and a dragon dance team performing as well as other live entertainment celebrating culture and diversity. The Stockton Chinese New Years Festival will be held at the First Baptist Church Community Center. In ancient times, the New Year was a two-week celebration, with different rituals and customs to be observed on each day going up until the Lantern Festival, which takes place on the 15th of the first lunar month. Chinese New Year and the traditional lunisolar calendar. Chinese New Year is sometimes referred to as the “Lunar New Year.” With the arrival of the Chinese New Year, individuals aim to stride forth with optimism. New opportunities arise alongside the challenges, encouraging everyone to stay true to themselves and pursue their goals wholeheartedly. It is also seen as the best time to set new resolutions, reflecting on the past year and strategizing for the upcoming one.
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