The most celebrated holiday in the world — a 15-day festival of reunion, renewal, and ancient tradition observed by over two billion people across the globe.
Lunar New Year, known in China as 春节 (Chūnjié, the Spring Festival), marks the beginning of the new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar. The holiday is observed across China, Vietnam, Korea, and many other Asian cultures — each with their own rich customs and names.
The festival's origins stretch back over 3,500 years, rooted in ancient agricultural ceremonies to honor heaven, earth, and ancestors, and to pray for a bountiful harvest. Over millennia, it evolved into the vibrant, family-centered celebration known today.
The date changes each year, falling on the new moon between January 21 and February 20. Celebrations last fifteen days, culminating in the Lantern Festival on the final night.
Each year is associated with one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac cycle, believed to influence the traits of those born that year.
From the reunion dinner to temple fairs, Lunar New Year is woven with centuries-old customs meant to attract good luck and ward off misfortune.
Elders and married couples give children red envelopes containing money, symbolizing blessings, good luck, and the transfer of good fortune to the next generation.
Loud firecrackers and fireworks are set off to frighten away evil spirits and the mythical Nian beast, and to welcome in the new year with noise and light.
Homes are thoroughly cleaned before New Year's Day to sweep away bad luck and make room for incoming good fortune. Cleaning is avoided on New Year's Day itself.
Colorful lion and dragon dances performed to the beat of drums and cymbals are believed to bring luck and prosperity, and are staples of street celebrations.
The final night of the festival is marked by colorful lanterns lit everywhere. Families solve riddles written on lanterns and eat sweet glutinous rice balls (tangyuan).
Families visit temples to offer incense, pray for health and prosperity, and participate in lively temple fairs with games, food stalls, and folk performances.
Red paper couplets with auspicious poems are pasted on doorways. The character 福 (fortune) is often hung upside-down, as "upside down" sounds like "to arrive" in Chinese.
The New Year's Eve feast is the most important meal of the year, bringing together entire extended families. Every dish carries symbolic meaning for the year ahead.
Food is central to Lunar New Year celebrations. Each dish served at the reunion dinner is chosen not just for taste, but for its symbolic resonance — often through visual appearance, the sound of its name, or cultural legend.
Colors, shapes, and puns in Chinese, Vietnamese, or Korean all play a role in choosing what appears on the New Year's table.
According to legend, the Jade Emperor held a race to determine the order of the zodiac animals. Each animal represents a year in a 12-year cycle, believed to shape the personalities of those born during its reign.
While originating in China, variations of the Lunar New Year are celebrated across Asia and in diaspora communities worldwide. Each culture brings its own name, customs, and flavors.
Chūnjié, the Spring Festival. A 7-day public holiday; hundreds of millions travel home for the reunion dinner in the world's largest annual migration.
🇻🇳Tết Nguyên Đán means "Feast of the First Morning." Peach blossoms in the north and apricot blossoms in the south adorn homes. Bánh chưng sticky rice cakes are essential.
🇰🇷Seollal features the ancestral ritual Charye, traditional games like yutnori, and wearing hanbok. Tteokguk (rice cake soup) is eaten to symbolically gain a year of age.
Vibrant Chinatown decorations, yusheng (prosperity toss salad), and open-house gatherings bring together the multi-ethnic communities of both nations.
🇮🇩Tahun Baru Imlek is a national holiday. Barongsai (lion dance) performances and the exchange of angpao (red envelopes) are key festivities for the Tionghoa community.
🌍From London's Chinatown to San Francisco's Parade, Sydney's Dragon Boat races to New York's firecracker festivities — Lunar New Year is a global celebration of heritage.
The right words carry immense meaning during the New Year. Here are the most common greetings across cultures.