Chinese New Year dates vary slightly between years, but it usually comes during the period from January 21st to February 20th in Gregorian calendar. The dates change every year because the festival is based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar . There are more Chinese New Year traditions and customs, such as wearing new clothes, staying up late on Chinese New Year's Eve, watching the Spring Festival Gala, etc. How Long Is Chinese New Year Celebrations? Celebrations of Chinese New Year traditionally last for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival. The The Chinese calendar defines the lunisolar month containing the winter solstice as the eleventh month, meaning that Chinese New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice (rarely the third if an intercalary month occurs [b]). Chinese New Year starts a new animal’s zodiac year. In China, each lunar cycle has 60 years and 12 years is regarded as a small cycle. Each of the 12 years is defined by an animal sign: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. 2025 is the Year of the Snake and 2026 is the Year of the Horse. 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, annual 15-day Chinese festival that begins with the new moon that occurs between January 21 and February 20. Chinese New Year, annual 15-day Chinese The Lunar New Year usually starts sometime between late January and mid-February. This year, the festivities begin on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, marking the arrival of the Year of the Snake . Lunar New Year 2026. Tue, Feb 17, 2026 – 17 countries. Mon, Feb 16, 2026 – Vietnam. Fri, Feb 6, 2026 / Tue, Feb 17, 2026 – United States. Lunar New Year is the first day of the New Year in the Chinese calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar. It is also known as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year. Every year is represented 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 Traditional Holiday. Lunar Calendar Date. Gregorian Calendar Date (2025) Chinese New Year. 1 st Day of the 1 st Month. January 29, 2025. Lantern Festival. 15 th Day of the 1 st Month. February 12, 2025 Chinese New Year doesn’t fall on the same day every year, because it follows the lunar calendar. According to this calendar, the new year begins on the new moon between January 21 st and February 20 th , so the exact date of the Spring Festival changes every year. 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 2025 celebrates the Year of the Snake with traditional poems that capture the spirit of renewal and prosperity. Here are the top 10 Chinese New Year poems for 2025, blending ancient wisdom with modern celebrations. Understanding Chinese New Year Poetry. Chinese New Year poetry has a rich history dating back centuries. People prepare a lot of Chinese New Year specialty goods, known in Chinese as niánhuò (年货).These usually are New Year decorations, fireworks, and firecrackers, as well as gift items like large packs of dairy products, assorted snacks, fruit baskets, various grains, or Chinese wines and spirits. With a history of more than 1,800 years, dumpling (饺子 Jiǎozi /jyaoww-dzrr/) is a classic lucky food for Lunar New Year, and a traditional dish eaten on Chinese New Year's Eve, widely popular in China, especially in North China. The lunisolar Chinese calendar determines the date of Lunar New Year. The calendar is also used in countries that have been influenced by, or have relations with, China – such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, though occasionally the date celebrated may differ by one day or even one moon cycle due to using a meridian based on a different capital city in a different time zone or different Unlike the Gregorian calendar New Year, Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar, meaning it falls on a different date each year, usually between January 21 and February 20. The holiday ushers in a new year based on the Chinese zodiac, with each year represented by an animal from the 12-year zodiac cycle. Chinese New Year usually falls between January 21 and February 20, depending on the lunar calendar. Each year is associated with one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, such as the Rat, Ox, Tiger, and Rabbit. A shop selling decorations for the Chinese New Year in Wuhan, China (). The fireworks at Singapore's River Hongbao during the Lantern Festival in 2015. Chinese New Year, known in China as the Spring Festival and in Singapore as the Lunar New Year, is a holiday on and around the new moon on the first day of the year in the traditional Chinese calendar. The Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival, is the most important and widely celebrated festival of all in China. It is celebrated from the 1st day of the 1st lunar month to the 15th day of the 1st lunar month.
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