Chinese New Year begins with a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve that gathers family from far and wide, much in the same way Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. During the two weeks of celebration that follow, the feasting continues as friends and family share good tidings for the year ahead. 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, also called Lunar New Year or the Chinese Spring Festival, holds the most significant position among all Chinese festivals and holidays. It lasts for the first fifteen days of the Chinese lunar calendar, which on the Western calendar begins sometime between January 21 and February 21, varying from year to year. As the last day of the lunar year, Chinese New Year's Eve (除夕 chú xī) is the day before Chinese New Year. It is a grand reunion time for the whole Chinese family. People will participate in many activities to celebrate the coming new year. Chinese New Year's Eve Traditions 1. Putting Up New Year Decorations There’s no one right way to celebrate Chinese New Year. I think you’ll find learning about the holiday and its traditions enriching and a ton of fun. 25 Year of the Snake Activities & Crafts Family Dinner. Chinese New Year starts with a Reunion Dinner among family members and is considered one of the most important meals of the year. 5. Read Chinese New Year Books. Since the Chinese New Year is unfamiliar to many in the United States we bought a few books explaining the tradition and will read them as part of our dinner celebration. I also like to ask Quincy’s teachers if I can come in and read a book to the class along with distributing the red packets as a fun way to Taste of Home‘s Justin Young shares how his Chinese American family celebrates the new year. He advises, “Take everything in! Chinese New Year is more than just a night, it actually lasts 15 days and there are so many different things to do, traditions to follow and foods to eat.” Here’s how to celebrate Chinese New Year. Lunar New Year is the biggest holiday of the year in many Asian countries. It's a fabulous 15-day celebration filled with fireworks, special food dishes, and parades. In the United States, Lunar Visiting extended family and friends during the week of Chinese New Year and exchanging gifts is a Chinese New year tradition that goes on throughout the 15-day holiday. This process of visiting family and friends is called bài nián (拜年), in which you wish everyone a happy and healthy new year. 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. The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year as it occurs on the first new moon of the lunar calendar , celebrates renewal, family, and cultural traditions. From the vibrant red decorations to the symbolic foods, the holiday is a time for reflection and connection. By imperial decree, temples, homes and palaces across China adopted the practice of hanging brightly-lit lanterns on the 15th night of the year’s 1st lunar month. Once the Lantern Festival passes, there’s no need to fear Chinese New Year taboos and it’s appropriate to take down Chinese New Year decorations. Lunar New Year marks the beginning of a new year on China's traditional lunisolar calendar. It is a time for family gatherings. It is the most important festival in China (where it is known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival), and it is also widely celebrated in South Korea (where it is known as Seollal), in Vietnam (as Tet), as well as Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries On the 28th, 29th or 30th day of the new year, every household "posts the New Year's Red" (the New Year's Red is the collective name for the red festive elements pasted during the New Year, such as Spring Festival couplets, door gods, horizontal batches, New Year pictures, and the word "Fu"). Families gather together to participate in rituals that span thousands of generations. As the new year arrives, Lunar New Year becomes a time for reflection, unity, and the embrace of a hopeful future, and there are many exciting ways for people from all backgrounds to come together to honor and celebrate Chinese culture. Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) is a time for families to be together. Chinese New Year's Eve is the most important time. Wherever they are, people are expected to be home to celebrate the festival with their families. The Chinese New Year's Eve dinner is called 'reunion dinner'. Big families of several generations sit around round tables and When is New Year’s Day? New Year’s Day takes place every year on January 1. Workers receive one day off for New Year’s Day. Practically speaking, New Year’s Day is a three day holiday, with up to two of these days “made up” on either the preceding or following weekend. New Year’s Day dates through 2026 are below. Chinese families throughout the Chinese diaspora will come together to enjoy family togetherness. Celebrate Chinese New Year! Chinese New Year is right around the corner and with it comes all of the hopes for the coming year. It’s the Year of the Rabbit and with it comes the expectation of energy, excitement, and hope. For Chinese people, Spring Festival means family reunion, visiting relatives and honoring ancestors. Purchasing for the Spring Festival, pasting spring couplets, setting off firecrackers, gathering for the reunion dinner, staying up on New Year's Eve, giving New Year's greetings, giving lucky money and going to the temple fair are traditions unique to the Chinese New Year. In 2025 Lunar New Year starts on Jan. 29. While the Koreans and Vietnamese celebrate Lunar New Year over a three-day period, Chinese celebrate it for 15 days, ending with a Lantern Festival on Feb. 12. It’s fun to learn about holidays around the world and the customs and history behind them.
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