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Chinese New Year 2025: Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a significant festivity of China, celebrated by the Chinese and East Asian communities worldwide.
This festival is observed over 15 days and is marked by significant Chinese traditions like exciting parades, family gatherings, and activities.
With the Chinese New Year 2025 around the corner, here’s all you need to know, including the date and global events.
Chinese New Year celebrations last 15 days, from the end of the first lunar month to the Lantern Festival, which commemorates the first full moon of the new lunar year.
The date changes each year since it follows the lunar calendar; this year, the 2025 Chinese New Year will begin on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, with public holidays from January 28 to February 4, 2025, according to the China Public Holiday List.
The Lantern Festival takes place on the fifteenth day of the new lunar year, which this year will be observed on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
Chinese years are associated with the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, with every year representing a different animal that is particularly attributed to the person born in the year.
This cycle continues for 12 years before repeating itself. This year, in 2025, it will usher in the Year of the Snake.
The sixth animal of the Chinese Zodiac, the Snake, symbolises elegance, wisdom, and intuition, and is also seen as self-sufficient and capable of conquering challenges if they are committed.
The Chinese New Year is an ancient folklore that tells the story of Nian, a sea monster with sharp teeth and horns, who would come ashore on Lunar New Year’s Eve to cause trouble.
The villagers, fearing Nian’s red colour and loud noises, set off red decorations and firecrackers to scare him away.
This tradition continues today, with Chinese New Year celebrations often featuring fireworks.
The Spring Festival is a family-friendly festival, marked by reunion dinners and feasts with rice cakes, dumplings, and fish.
Additionally, parades are carried out with lion and dragon dances to bring good fortune and ward off evil spirits.
Red envelopes filled with money are also given to symbolise good luck, and lastly, on the 15th day, everyone, regardless of age or gender, celebrates on the streets with the Lantern Festival.
It is one of the major highlights, symbolising reunions, socialising, and freedom.
