The Chinese New Year or the Lunar New Year is a major celebration in many Asian countries and their diasporas around the globe. Chinese New Year, also referred to as the Spring Festival, is One thing, however, is true regardless of what countries celebrate the Lunar New Year, and that is they all hope for good things to come in the coming year. Exactly like we do. The Lunar New Year is also celebrated on local scale in cities around the globe where significant South Asian communities exist, such as San Francisco, California What are some special foods for the new year? Each culture has its own list of special foods during the new year, including dumplings, rice cakes, spring rolls, tangerines, fish and meats. In the Chinese culture, for example, “changshou mian” or “long-life noodles” are consumed with a wish for a long, healthy and happy life. 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 Tourists wait to board a train at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to return home for Chinese Lunar New Year holiday in Shanghai on Jan 25, 2025. Photo by CFOTO/ Future Publishing via Getty Images. For around 1.4 billion Chinese, the new year begins on February 10 - unlike in the Gregorian calendar, China calculates its traditional new year's date according to the lunar cycle. For Chinese people, Lunar New Year is the Spring Festival, and it’s celebrated widely in Taiwan and across Southeast Asia in countries with large Chinese populations, such as Singapore and Malaysia. Millions celebrate Lunar New Year in China, East Asia and around the world, but the way it's observed varies across countries and cultures. This year's Lunar New Year falls on 29 January, with The eve and first 3 days of Chinese New Year. Extra holiday days are de facto added adjusting the weekend days before and after the three days holiday, resulting in a full week of public holiday known as Golden Week. [56] [57] During the Chunyun holiday travel season. 4 (official holiday days) / 7 (de facto holiday days) Myanmar: Chinese New Year Though not technically a national holiday in Thailand, the country's large Chinese community still throws good parties around the Land of Smiles every Lunar New Year. To greet a local during this special time, you can say "Sin jia yoo ee sin nee huad chai," a phrase to wish them a prosperous year ahead. The complete list of holidays ensures Filipinos can plan ahead for work breaks, vacations, or important events. Promoting Cultural Diversity. Declaring Chinese New Year as a holiday highlights the government’s effort to promote cultural inclusivity. The Filipino-Chinese community has been a significant part of the country’s history and economy. Summary; The Chinese New Year marks the start of the lunar new year, which occurs sometime between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. Also known as the Spring Festival, it is considered one of China’s most important celebrations, with each year being named after one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. As our chart shows, Southeast Asia is the region in which most countries give their citizens time off for the beginning of the Chinese New Year. These include Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. In recent years, the Chinese New Year has also been introduced as a special holiday in the Philippines, most recently in 2024. Countries that celebrate Lunar New Year include China, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Each country has unique traditions, like Seollal in Korea and Tết in Vietnam. While Japan traditionally celebrated it, they now observe the Gregorian New Year, though some communities maintain the tradition. Chinese travelers are canceling plans to visit Thailand during the Lunar New Year break, as concerns over the kidnapping of actor Wang Xing continue to reverberate through the country. Net booking Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year, falls this year on Wednesday, Jan. 29, and ends with the Lantern Festival on Feb. 12. Celebrations last up to 15 days, but the first seven days — through Chinese New Year Holiday Chinese New Year Lunar Calendar. On the China calendar, you can see two lines of numbers. One line has Arabic numbers, the solar calendar (Gregorian calendar), and the line below has Chinese characters, the lunar calendar. The lunar calendar in 2025 has 384 days, while the Gregorian calendar has 365 days. Since the mid-1990s people in China have been given seven consecutive days off work during the Chinese New Year. This week of relaxation has been designated Spring Festival, a term that is sometimes used to refer to the Chinese New Year in general. The origins of the Chinese New Year are steeped in legend. One legend is that thousands of years 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). 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
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