This holiday marks the beginning of a new year and is steeped in hope and renewal. While it parallels the solar Gregorian New Year in symbolizing fresh starts, its timing closer to spring ties it to the end of winter and the anticipation of growth and vitality. It is a time to reunite with family, reflect on the past year, and honor traditions such as cleaning the home, enjoying symbolic foods, and concluding the festivities with the Lantern Festival. 

Chinese zodiac basics 

The Chinese zodiac follows a 12-year cycle, with each year associated with a specific animal. Additionally, each 12-year cycle aligns with one of five elements—earth, metal, water, wood, or fire—creating a 60-year cycle before the same animal-element combination repeats. 

Like the Western zodiac, Chinese zodiac signs are believed to convey personality traits and characteristics tied to the year of one’s birth. 

2025: Year of the Wood Snake 

This year is the Year of the Wood Snake, which was last observed in 1965-66. The snake, the sixth animal in the zodiac, is said to have earned its place by finishing sixth in an ancient race among the zodiac animals. 

People born in the Year of the Snake are traditionally considered intelligent, strategic, and intuitive. They are seen as wise, observant, and mysterious. When paired with the wood element, these traits are complemented by creativity, orderliness, refined taste, and perceptiveness. 

Celebrating the Lunar New Year 

Traditionally, there are celebrations leading up to the New Year, on New Year’s Eve and Day, and once again on the 15th day of the year for the Lantern Festival. 

Pre-New Year often involves thoroughly cleaning and tidying the home to “bid farewell” to the old year and welcome the new one with a fresh, clean start. This ritual is often accompanied by prayers and shopping for gifts, festive foods, decorations, and fireworks in anticipation of the upcoming celebrations. In regions where Lunar New Year is widely observed, such as China and other parts of Asia, bustling street markets also emerge, offering a vibrant array of holiday essentials and decorations. 

On New Year’s Eve, families put up red lanterns, symbolizing luck and prosperity for the coming year. Other decorations, such as New Year’s paintings, intricate paper cuttings, and poetic couplets, are displayed to promote longevity and good health. Many families also honor their ancestors with offerings before gathering for a reunion dinner, bringing all generations together for a celebratory meal. After dinner, older family members present red envelopes—often filled with money—to children, symbolizing blessings and good fortune for the year ahead. 

After these festivities, much like the Gregorian New Year, people stay up until midnight (and often later) to bid farewell to the past year and welcome the new one with fireworks and celebrations. 

New Year’s Day, which falls on January 29th in 2025, is marked by well-wishing and vibrant public celebrations. These often feature lion and dragon dances, both symbolizing prosperity and good fortune for the year ahead. Many also take this time to make offerings at their ancestral shrines as part of the tradition. 

The Lunar New Year celebrations continue for 15 days. During this time, people visit relatives and friends, and in many places, the first week is typically observed as a holiday from work. The festivities culminate on the 15th day with the Lantern Festival, marked by fireworks and the release of lanterns. These lanterns, symbolizing hopes and wishes, are often sent floating into the sky, down rivers, or out to sea.

Today, Lunar New Year is celebrated not only in China and much of Southeast Asia but also across the globe. You might encounter dragon dances, vibrant decorations, or lantern displays as communities everywhere honor the season and its traditions. 

Happy New Year, everyone!