Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is a significant celebration in Asian culture. It marks the beginning of the new calendar year with family gatherings and a day of rest. This year, it begins on February 10 and ends with the Lantern Festival on February 24. The Chinese zodiac, a 12-year cycle of animal signs based on the lunar calendar, transitions to the Year of the Dragon this year.
The holiday is celebrated on a different date each year because it is based on the moon cycles. Traditional customs include putting red paper decorations on windows and doors with couplets, or chunlian, containing messages of gratitude and wishes for the new year. On Lunar New Year’s Eve, symbolic dishes are spread, including a whole fish representing abundance and believed to bring good luck and fortune.
Millions of people worldwide celebrate Lunar New Year, and in China, the public holiday lasts from February 10 to February 17 this year. The holiday is a time for family gatherings and rest, and it is a time to celebrate the new year and the transition from one animal sign to another in the Chinese zodiac.
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