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. 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. 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. For New Year celebrations that follow Chinese-inspired calendars but are outside of China and Chinese diaspora (such as Korea's Seollal and Vietnam's Tết), see the article on Lunar New Year. For other countries and regions where Chinese New Year is celebrated but not an official holiday, see the table below. 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. Pre-Chinese New Year Celebrations (Jan. 7, 2025, to Jan. 28, 2025) Chinese New Year is the most important traditional festival in China. People usually prepare for it early before New Year’s Eve. Little New Year (January 22nd-January 23rd, 2025) - 小年夜. The Little New Year of 2025 is January 22nd in the north and January 23rd in the south. 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 celebration is not exclusive to immediate family members, but among all relatives and friends. Married couples should visit the wife’s parents on the second day of the New Year. During the following days, people visit different relatives, bringing gifts and red envelopes to express care, love, and good wishes. 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 days) with similar celebrations. China. In China, Lunar New Year is known as Chinese New Year or in Chinese 'Spring Festival' (Chunjie). The celebrations traditionally last for 16 days, beginning Chinese New Year is a festival that celebrates the beginning of the new year in China. The celebration usually starts around late January or early February, and lasts 15 days. In diaspora communities, particularly in cultural enclaves, Lunar New Year is visibly and joyfully celebrated. In the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the Year of the Snake. Different countries across Asia celebrate the new year in many ways and may follow a different zodiac. What is the Lunar New Year? Among China’s traditional holidays and celebrations, none ranks higher in importance than the Lunar New Year (農曆新年). Also known as the Spring Festival (春節), or simply Chinese New 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 days) with similar celebrations. China. In China, Lunar New Year is known as Chinese New Year or in Chinese 'Spring Festival' (Chunjie). The celebrations traditionally last for 16 days, beginning In communities that celebrate Chinese New Year for 15 days, the fourth day marks the beginning of corporate "spring dinners" and the return to normal business operations. In other regions with a longer Chinese New Year holiday, celebrations include welcoming back the gods who were previously sent off on this day. Many Asian countries celebrate new year at this time, including Vietnam and Korea. Lunar New Year, often called the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, is the most important holiday in China and Lunar New Year starts this week, marking an important holiday in China and other Asian communities. Lunar New Year celebrations can last up to 15 days, starting on the new moon between late 7. Sending Chinese New Year Wishes. During Chinese New Year, Chinese people will greet each other with pleasant words like: 'Xin nian kuai le' which means 'Happy New Year' (simplified Chinese: 新年快乐). See more Chinese New Year Greetings and Wishes. 8. Watching the New Year TV Gala China. 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 Chinese New Year, also known as 春节 Chūnjié, (Spring Festival) is one of the most important and widely celebrated festivals in China and among Chinese communities worldwide. This ancient holiday, steeped in history and cultural significance, marks the beginning of the lunar calendar. Chinese New Year specifically refers to the festival in China. Lunar New Year is a broader term for similar celebrations across Asia. Both are based on lunar calendars, but the Chinese calendar dictates the timing of Chinese New Year.
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