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. 初二 (Second Day of CNY, Falling on 30 Jan 2025) A notable tradition on the second day of the Chinese New Year, known as 初二, involves welcoming sons-in-law. In Chinese cultural norms, the wife becomes a part of the husband’s family upon marriage. On this day, the wife brings her husband back to her parental home. Here is what each day means, running from New Year’s Eve on January 30 to the seventh day of the new year on February 7, and things you should make sure to do on each of these days. Chinese people believe that, as the Spring Festival is the start of a new year, what you do then will affect your luck in the coming year. There are many Chinese New Year traditions about dos and don'ts. Find out the top 18 things you should not do. Some are taboos on the first day of the Chinese New Year and some are superstitions for the Chinese New Year's Day Gregorian Dates Activities; 30th Day of the 12th month (Chinese New Year's Eve) Jan. 28, 2025: Decorate houses, Have reunion dinners, Watch CCTV gala, Stay up late: 1st Day of the 1st month (Chinese New Year's Day) Jan. 29, 2025: Set off firecrackers, Give red envelopes, Enjoy Lion dances: Day 2: Jan. 30, 2025: Welcome Chinese New Year: Day 2 (Jan. 30, 2025) Traditionally married daughters visit their parents' home on the second day of Chinese New Year. They bring gifts and red envelopes to families and relatives. On this day, people offer sacrifices to the God of Wealth, wishing for a luckier and more prosperous year. Starting from the second day of the Chinese New Year, people visit their relatives and friends to exchange best wishes with each other. According to traditional customs, married couples visit the wife’s parents on the second day of the New Year. When people visit relatives and friends, it’s polite to take gifts, such as local products and 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? “Kai nian fan” (开年饭) – 2nd Day. The second day of New Year is called “Opening of the year“ (开年). “Kai nian fan” refers to the Chinese New Year Kick-off Lunch on this day. It is said that the new year officially begins after consuming this meal. Most major cities have their own unique take on celebrating the Chinese New Year, and have public performances or fairs, up to and including during the Lantern Festival (Chinese New Year day 15). These include lion dances, dragon dances, ceremonial folk shows, and religious worship. These fairs are fun for the whole family and are a great place Otherwise you’re going to have to wait till the second day of the new lunar year. Cleaning of any kind on the first day is strictly forbidden. Don’t even wash the dishes. The Chinese New Year occurs as the second new moon after the December Solstice. Let’s explore the calculation of the Chinese New Year. Which Countries Celebrate Chinese New Year? The Lunisolar Chinese New Year Calendar is celebrated across the world. Countries that have a national public holiday to celebrate Chinese New Year include: China 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). Simply put, Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year are not the same. Despite being related, there are a few noteworthy differences between the two. Read on to find out what they are. The Differences between Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year 1. "Chinese New Year" is specific while "Lunar New Year" is more general. Although different regions in China have different traditions, 正月初二 (zhēng yuè chū èr – the second day of the New Year) is widely accepted as the day for the married daughters to come back home and visit their parents (in some places, it is the third day of the New Year.) In traditional Chinese culture, married women are supposed Chinese New Year is one of Hong Kong’s biggest celebrations. Whether you’re spending the holiday at home with family and other loved ones or celebrating the festival’s traditions around the city, there are numerous Chinese New Year customs that you should familiarise yourself with for a new, prosperous year ahead. Wishing you a joyous and auspicious Chinese New Folklore suggests that if you wash clothes on New Year’s Day, you may be “washing for the dead,” meaning that a loved one in your household may pass away in the coming year. Photo by Humphrey Muleba on Unsplash. Chinese New Year is a celebration marked by age-old traditions and customs. Similar to many other religious holidays, this auspicious occasion comes with a set of do’s and don’ts, each grounded in cultural beliefs aimed at ensuring a prosperous and harmonious year ahead. The first day of the New Year is known as Yuan Dan (Chinese: 元旦; pinyin: yuándàn (First Morning of the year), New Year’s Day, First Day (or Duan Ri). During the 15 day period new year visits (Traditional Chinese: 拜年; pinyin: bài nián, translated: pay respect, worship, salute the year) will be made to family and friends. Chinese communities in the UK and other Western countries normally hold a big celebration of the Chinese New Year on the first weekend after the proper New Year's Day. This is because people often have to work on New Year's Day, unless it falls on a weekend.
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