When is Chinese New Year? Traditionally, this festival marks the beginning of a new lunar year. It’s also known as Spring Festival and Lunar New Year. Both of these terms mean “new life.” Here’s how you can tell when Chinese New Year is in your region. Depending on your cultural background, it may occur a day or two before or after the start of spring. The Spring Festival also marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Chinese people.
The Spring Festival, also known as Chunyun, begins 15 days before Chinese New Year. This forty-day celebration brings the biggest human migration in the world. The Chinese commonly greet the new year by saying “xin nian kuai le.” This translates to “congratulations on your good fortune!”
The New Year celebrations also include giving gifts and visiting family. Young children and newly married couples are frequently given red envelopes filled with money. In addition to the red envelopes, families also exchange small gifts, often foods and sweets. They also exchange red envelopes, or hongbao, or red packets, known as lai see in Cantonese and Mandarin. Depending on the individual’s social status, they may choose to give or receive money. Married, working Chinese people are expected to give money, while children and the elderly will typically receive red packets.
Despite the differences between the two traditions, Chinese New Year celebrations are incredibly common around the world. In many countries, people wear new clothes and clean their homes to celebrate the new year. Firecrackers are also a common part of the festivities. Firecrackers, meanwhile, are used to ward off evil spirits. Firecrackers are often not lit until the dawn. Some families even opt to stay up late on the New Year’s Eve to enjoy a night of partying. This practice is also thought to add longevity to parents.
Some Chinese New Year traditions revolve around food. Certain foods are believed to bring luck, and these are often shared or exchanged during celebrations. One food traditionally exchanged or shared during these celebrations is mandarins. Mandarins are lucky because the Chinese word for mandarin sounds like the word for gold. The hosts are also expected to give a pair of mandarins to visitors, and the guests must return the favor.
When is Chinese New Year? The holiday is celebrated in many countries throughout Asia, including countries with significant Chinese communities. While the celebration is universal, its origins lie in ancient myths and traditions. Many countries in the Asian continent celebrate it as a public holiday. In Singapore, the holiday falls around the first New Moon of a lunar year, which means it always coincides with the Chinese calendar. Observing this holiday, however, is a culturally sensitive event.
Chinese New Year is a celebration that occurs between mid-February and late January. The celebrations last fifteen days and are concluded by the first full moon of the year. The Chinese zodiac uses this time to honor ancestors and gods.
