Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year, also called Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, starts the new Chinese zodiac year on a new Moon between 21 January and 20 February. Here is how the date is set, the traditions, and the animals of the years ahead.
The full deep dive
When it falls
Lunar New Year falls on the second new Moon after the winter solstice (with a rare exception in leap-month years), which always lands between 21 January and 20 February. The date is calculated for China’s time zone, so it can sometimes fall on a different day in other parts of the world.
The years ahead
| Lunar New Year | Animal |
|---|---|
| 17 February 2026 | Fire Horse |
| 6 February 2027 | Fire Goat |
| 26 January 2028 | Earth Monkey |
| 13 February 2029 | Earth Rooster |
Traditions
Celebrations last fifteen days and end with the Lantern Festival at the first full Moon. Families gather for a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, homes are cleaned to sweep away bad luck before the day (never on it), and red decorations, red envelopes of money and fireworks bring luck and scare away the mythical beast Nian. Dumplings, fish, noodles and sticky rice cakes are popular dishes, each a symbol of wealth, abundance or long life.
Around Asia
Lunar New Year is celebrated across East and Southeast Asia and by communities worldwide. In Vietnam it is Tết, and the Cat takes the place of the Rabbit. In Korea it is Seollal, and in Mongolia and Tibet, Tsagaan Sar and Losar follow related but slightly different calendars.
Your animal
Because the zodiac year begins here, January and February birthdays need checking. See How your Chinese zodiac animal is chosen.
Sources and perspectives
- Hong Kong Observatory, the Chinese calendar
- Derek Walters, The Complete Guide to Chinese Astrology