Since the mid-1990s people in China have been given seven consecutive days off work during the Chinese New Year. This week of relaxation has been designated Spring Festival, a term that is sometimes used to refer to the Chinese New Year in general. The origins of the Chinese New Year are steeped in legend. One legend is that thousands of years 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? What are some special foods for the new year? Each culture has its own list of special foods during the new year, including dumplings, rice cakes, spring rolls, tangerines, fish and meats. In the Chinese culture, for example, “changshou mian” or “long-life noodles” are consumed with a wish for a long, healthy and happy life. This festival emphasizes the importance of family ties. The dinner gathering on Chinese New Year's Eve is the most important family occasion of the year. Lunar New Year Calendar and holiday. The traditional Chinese New Year holiday is 7 days, starting from the first day of New Year's Eve to the seventh day, with work starting on the eighth day. Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year or Spring Festival 2025 falls on Wednesday, January 29th, 2025. Snake is the new year animal. Learn more about Chinese Lunar New Year traditions, taboos, food, zodiac signs, and greetings. Chinese New Year is a festival that celebrates the beginning of the new year in China. The color red denotes good luck/fortune and happiness/abundance in the Chinese Culture and is often worn 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. This is a festival called Laba ( 腊八 Làbā /laa-baa/ '12th lunar month' + '8'), in the traditional sense, which During the Chinese New Year, there are rich and colorful customs, strong New Year atmosphere and family affection, embodying the essence of traditional Chinese culture. Chinese New Year has a long history of nearly four thousand years and has formed some relatively fixed customs and traditions in its inheritance and development. Lunar New Year is traditionally celebrated in East Asian countries, especially in China and others influenced by Chinese culture like Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Lunar New Year may be called different names in different East Asian countries and communities, but it is celebrated on the same date (and surrounding For Chinese people, Lunar New Year is the Spring Festival, HISTORY & CULTURE. 9 things to know about Holi, India’s most colorful festival. Save $5 on a Nat Geo Digital Subscription. 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 Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is one of the most important and widely celebrated festivals in China and among Chinese communities worldwide. This vibrant and joyous occasion is steeped in rich traditions and customs that have been passed down through generations. “Lunar New Year celebrates the first days of spring on the lunar calendar,” says Jenny Leung, executive director of the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco. The 2025 Chinese New Year begins on January 29 (Lunar New Year’s Eve) and ends on February 13 (Lantern Festival), lasting a total of 16 days. This period marks the most important celebration in China, symbolizing the transition from winter to spring and emphasizing family reunions. The Year of the Snake starts on January 28, 2025, marking one of the most vibrant Chinese celebrations around the world.China will come alive with red lanterns, firecrackers, and joyous family gatherings, but Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is far more than just a colorful spectacle. In Chinese, "fish" (鱼 Yú /yoo/) sounds like 'surplus'. Fish is a traditional Chinese New Year dish on the Chinese New Year dinner menu. Chinese people always like to have a surplus at the end of the year, because they think if they have managed to save something at the end of the year, then they can make more in the next year. On Jan. 25, the bustling city of Falls Church, Virginia came alive as the Asian Community Service Center (ACSC) hosted its much-anticipated annual Chinese New Year Festival. The Chinese New Year is an important time to 拜年 (bàinián, to pay a new year call), so it is common practice to visit relatives and exchange auspicious greetings and Chinese gifts, including the ever-popular lucky red envelopes filled with Chinese currency. Devoted Buddhist and Daoist practitioners also often visit local temples to welcome With roots tracing back some 3,500 years to ancient China, it signifies the end of winter and the arrival of a new year.The festival holds deep importance in Chinese culture and is observed with
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