Chinese New Year is extremely special because it’s all about tradition, celebration, and spending time with those who mean the most to you. One of the biggest questions people seem to have is about why the Chinese New Year date happens to change every 365 days. Here’s what you should know if you’re new to celebrating the holiday. Well, the Chinese New Year coincides with the lunar calendar, where the first day of the month begins during the new moon. This means that the Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year Why does Chinese New Year fall on different dates? Rather than following the western Gregorian Calendar with 365-day years, the Chinese New Year follows a lunar calendar based the moon's 12 phases. However, one of many facts you wouldn’t have noticed about Chinese New Year is that it doesn't fall on the same date every year. But why is that? In this blog, we'll explore the fascinating reasons behind the changing date of the Chinese New Year. Lunar vs. Solar Calendar To understand why the Chinese New Year date varies each year, we need Because it coincides with the Gregorian calendar, it is the same date every year. The Chinese New Year coincides with the lunar calendar. On the lunar calendar, the first day of the month begins during the new moon. Because of this, the Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year. However, it does always fall between January 21 and Spring begins (立春, lìchūn) each year around Feb 4th (in the Western calendar). The first day of Chinese New Year starts on the New Moon closest to spring. (That’s why Chinese New Year is called the Spring Festival.) And ends on the Full Moon 15 days later with the Lantern Festival. The first day of Chinese New Year is always between Jan 4. Why Doesn't Chinese New Year Fall on New Year's Day? Chinese New Year is never on January 1. Chinese have a different traditional date for New Year. Chinese New Year's date is determined by the Chinese lunar calendar, which is always 21–51 days behind the corresponding Gregorian (international) calendar date. It begins anywhere between 21 January and 20 February on the Gregorian calendar, but must coincide with the lunar cycle. The first day of Chinese New Year starts with the new moon, and the last 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. Lunar New Year will always fall sometime between 21 January and 20 February. In 2023, the celebrations kick off on the earlier side, with Chinese New Year festivities beginning on Sunday, 22 Each year in January or February, Chinese communities and countries influenced culturally by China all over the world celebrate the festival that has come to be called the Lunar New Year. Chinese Calendar "Year" Established: In the Zhou Dynasty. The term Nian ('year') first appeared in the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC). It had become a custom to offer sacrifices to ancestors or gods, and to worship nature in order to bless harvests at the turn of the year. And this year, Lunar New Year begins Jan. 29. Each Lunar New Year is also marked by one of 12 animals—this year being the Year of the Wood Snake, which follows 2024’s Year of the Dragon This year, Chinese New Year begins on Wednesday, January 29. Those who celebrate will be entering the year of the snake. Just like with any holiday, traditions abound for Chinese New Year. Some of Therefore, Chinese New Year never starts on the same date each year. Q: What is Chinese belief about cleaning houses before new year day? Ans: To clean the house before the starts of New Year is like to wipe away the bad luck of the previous year and makes the house ready to accept the good luck of the New Year. Normal New Year has fireworks, but Chinese New Year has bigger and vibrant firework shows. Clothing culture is more vibrant because the Chinese wear colorful traditional clothing. Why Is Chinese New Year Never On The Same Day Each Year? The lunar cycle governs the start of the Chinese New Year. Because the Sun and Moon’s alignment changes 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. Today is Chinese New Year 2025, heralding in the Year of the Snake – the Wood Snake, to be exact. Lunar New Year isn’t just celebrated in China though, with countries such as Japan, Thailand In 2014, the Chinese New Year falls on Jan. 31, a full month after the western calendar celebrated New Year's Day on Jan. 1. Not only do the New Year celebrations not match up this year, they
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