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 The lunar calendar, unlike the Gregorian calendar, uses the phases of the moon to delineate days, weeks and months of the year. A lunar month is the period of time from one new moon to the next Chinese New Year begins Wednesday, Jan. 29, in 2025. The holiday lasts from Wednesday to Feb. 15, which is the Lantern Festival. Why does the Chinese New Year fall on different dates each year? Chinese New Year is extremely special because it’s all about tradition, celebration, and spending time with those who mean the most to you. One of the biggest questions people seem to have is about why the Chinese New Year date happens to change every 365 days. Here’s what you should know if you’re new to celebrating the holiday. 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. Why Does Chinese New Year Date Change Every Year. China uses the Solar calendar (Gregorian calendar) and the lunar calendar to count the days. In the lunar calendar, the Chinese New Year always falls on the first day of the first month, but its date in the solar calendar changes every year. Why Does Chinese New Year Date Change Every Year? The date is decided by the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which is based on the cycles of the moon and sun and is generally 21–51 days behind the Gregorian (internationally-used) calendar. The date of Chinese New Year changes every year, but it always falls between January 21st and February 20th. The Chinese zodiac is another factor that contributes to the variation in the Chinese New Year date. The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle, with each year associated with a specific animal, such as the Rat, Ox, Tiger, and so on. The lunar calendar follows this zodiac cycle, with each year named after an animal. The start of the Chinese New Year 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. Because the Chinese calendar defines the lunar month containing the winter solstice as the 11th month, the Lunar New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Just like New Year according to the Gregorian calendar (January 1), Lunar New Year celebrations start on the night before the first day of the new year. People often wonder why the date for Chinese New Year changes each year. The Chinese calendar is a combination solar/lunar calendar, based on a number of rather complex astronomical calculations, including the longitude of the sun. Chinese New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice (all months begin with a new moon). In The Chinese Dragon. The dragon is an important part of the new year celebrations and is paraded through the streets. It represents wisdom, strength, benevolence, and good fortune. Chinese Dragon. Why does the date of the Chinese New Year change every year? The Chinese use the Lunar calendar for their festivals. During this time, people held sacrificial ceremonies in honor of gods at the beginning of the year. The date of the Chinese New Year was established during the Han Dynasty from 202 BC to 220 AD. Through the years, different ways of celebrating the New Year evolved. In 1949, the Chinese New Year was renamed the Spring Festival. Chinese New Year will take place in February this year, with the Year of the Rat becoming the Year of the Ox. Unlike western societies who celebrate New Year on the last date of December every why does the chinese new year date change every year why does the chinese new year change. Why do Chinese New Year dates change every year? Chinese New Year dates vary slightly between years, but it usually comes during the period from January 21st to February 20th in Gregorian calendar. NEW YORK (PIX11) – Wednesday marks the Lunar New Year and welcomes the year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac. Much like your astrological sign, the new year’s energy can impact your Chinese Why is the celebration also called "Guo Nian"? "Nian”is the Chinese word for year. In folk culture, the Spring Festival celebration is also called “Guo Nian” (meaning “passing a year”). In a Chinese New Year story, “Nian” is a fierce and cruel monster which eats livestock and kids, but it is scared of red color and cracker sound The Year of the Snake. Here's your guide to the Lunar New Year. When does Chinese New Year start and end? Chinese New Year in 2025 starts on Wednesday, Jan. 29, and lasts until the Lantern The Chinese zodiac cycle, however, lasts 12 years and uses the orbital plane of the Earth around the Sun to set signs apart. There is also a cycle of natural elements that changes every two years, that consists of earth, metal, water, wood, and fire.
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