The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is a 15-day festival that begins today, Jan. 29. 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). Performers participate in a dragon dance at the International Lunar New Year Night Parade on the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Snake in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Chan Long Hei / AP When does Chinese New Year end? Chinese New Year in 2025 lasts until the Lantern Festival on Feb. 12. Festival of Lanterns. The last day of the New Year is known as the Festival of Lanterns and 2026 is the year of the Red Fire Horse. 2026 Chinese New Year Day is on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The new moon time at China Time Zone is 20:04 on 2/17/2026. Temple-goers throw red envelopes into a flame to burn for good fortune at Jade Buddha Temple on Lunar New Year’s Day in Shanghai on Jan. 29, 2025. Station to return home for Chinese Lunar The day before Chinese New Year's Eve is also designated as holiday, but as a bridge holiday, and will be made up on an earlier or later Saturday. Additional bridge holidays may apply, resulting in 9-day or 10-day weekends. [59] [60] [61] 4 (legally), 9–10 (including Saturdays and Sundays) [62] Thailand: Wan Trut Chin (Chinese New Year's 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 Calendar Years 2020 - 2031. Almost all the features of Chinese culture you may have heard of, including zodiac animals, Chinese New Year, Tai Sui and the Five Elements Theory, are based on the lunar calendar. You can find the start and finish (in Gregorian calendar dates) of the lunar years in the current decade below, along with their 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. 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, 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. In many Chinese cities, the local temple serves as a spiritual center. The third day of the new year, January 31, 2025, is traditionally a day for visiting temples. People visit to make offerings, seek blessings from deities, and consult fortune-tellers about the year ahead. This is also a time to pause and reflect spiritually as the new year Taking naps, especially on the first day of the Chinese New Year, represents laziness. In Chinese culture, taking naps on the first day of the new year will affect your luck and career for the rest of the year. 9. Avoid breaking things in your home 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. 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. Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China. Tied to the Chinese lunar calendar, it begins on the new moon that appears between January 21 and February 20. (140–87 B.C.), the Chinese zodiac years are represented by 12 animals. 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. 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 Fourth Day of Chinese New Year 初四. The day to honour the Kitchen god who would return to Heaven to report on the family to the Jade Emperor, some place nian2 gao1 (New Year Sticky Cake) as offerings to appease the Kitchen god who then either can’t speak much due to the stickiness of the sweet cake or speaks sweet nothings about the family.
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