Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, is the celebration of a new year on the lunisolar calendar which also welcomes Spring. It’s China’s biggest celebration of the year, but it is also celebrated in other countries in Asia, such as North and South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and many more.
The event always starts on the new moon, which takes place on a different date every year but will always be from late January through mid-February. For this year, it will start on January 29, 2025, and end on February 4, 2025.
For every year, 12 zodiac animals are annually rotated to represent a new meaning for that upcoming period. Some options include an ox which represents being dependable or even a dragon which symbolizes being confident.
This year, the Green Wood Snake is the animal next on the rotation. This snake is the sixth animal in the lineup and is used to represent complexity and transformation for the upcoming year.
The main appeal of this celebration is that many family reunions are made to mark the end of summer. This festival has been around for more than 4,000 years, so it holds a special meaning for those in Asia.
Many traditions take place during this time of year. The main one is to clean the house thoroughly. Once that task is complete, people put up red decorations to signify luck, fortune, and vitality.
For food, there’s typically a huge New Year’s Eve family dinner which includes the main dishes of fish and dumplings to encourage prosperity.
For gifts, money is filled in red envelopes which are then given to children and adults who aren’t married yet for good luck in the new year.
Huge firework displays are lit into the sky at night just like many other New Year celebrations. However, each country still has its way of celebrating the new year aside from just fireworks.
There is traditional clothing that must be worn, which consists of two Chinese garments. For women, a cheongsam, and for men, a Tang suit. The color of the clothes tends to be red for good luck. However, some consist of patterns, including floral prints but mostly just a solid red.
Even after 40 centuries, the Lunar New Year is still an important tradition that is celebrated throughout Asia. Signifying a new start in life for two billion people.