Chinese New Year Celebrations, Traditions and Spectacular Beauty of Magic Family Holidays

Chinese New Year is another opportunity to brighten the winter season. A new lunar year celebration brings lots of fun and reminds us of the coming spring. If you like to learn about the holiday traditions and decorations for Chinese New Year celebrations, keep reading. Whether you are planning a trip to China or meeting the new lunar year at home, it is interesting to learn how the Chinese celebrate this most extended holiday of the year.

Lunar New Year celebrations are symbolic, family-oriented, and spectacular in the East. The official version of the origin of the Chinese New Year is associated with the name of Emperor Yu Shun. According to legend, the mythological character ruled before our era. The day of his accession to the throne is considered the first day of the year in the Eastern calendar.

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Lunar New Year celebrations

Chinese New Year celebrations start according to the lunar calendar. The Chinese celebrate the New Year twice. According to the Gregorian time calculation system, the first time is on the night of December 31st to January 1st, as the world does. Still, the first New Year celebration in China passes quietly. The second time, they celebrate according to the lunar calendar.

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The Chinese New Year celebration starts on a floating date. The first day of the holiday falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, which is the period between January 21st and February 21st. The Chinese New Year in 2025 is coming on January 29th. The year 4722 will be celebrated in the East for 15 days.

Lunar New Year celebrations, including various festivities and joyful events, will last until February 12th, 2025. According to the Chinese calendar, the year ends on February 16th, 2026. The length of the year is different from what we are used to, but that’s not the most interesting thing. New Year’s Eve is pronounced ‘Chunjie’ in Chinese. Translated, it means the Spring Festival. Of course, it is winter on the calendar in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is believed that the days begin to get warmer immediately after New Year’s Eve. A Chinese proverb says, ‘Spring defines the year’s success; morning determines the day’s success.’

Chinese New Year Celebration traditions

Red color

A lot of red color is used in clothes, interior decorating, and presents. The legend says that the monster Nyan comes out of the sea before every New Year, which symbolizes a new year. The underwater inhabitant does not bode well on land. He wants to ravage towns and villages, devouring all livestock and crops. And for dessert, he’s not averse to eating people. The main goal is to protect themselves from the monster.

On New Year’s Eve, the Chinese decorate the house with red objects, give gifts, and wear red clothes. Although the upcoming Chinese holiday in 2025 is the year of the Green Snake, red is the traditional color for Chinese New Year celebrations. According to legend, the Nyan feared red clothes and did not eat the child. In addition, in Chinese culture, the red color symbolizes good luck, abundance, and happiness and adds brightness to the holidays. The Chinese have another tradition: refresh their wardrobes and buy new red clothes on New Year’s Eve.

Chinese traditions

Some New Year’s traditions surprise foreigners. For example, on the first days of the New Year, many Chinese do not wash their hair because the word ‘hair’ in Chinese is consonant with the fraze ‘get rich.’ The people of China do not want to wash away such an opportunity. The Chinese believe that all misfortunes leave the house with garbage and dust. They thoroughly clean their spaces before the new year. Also, they are cleaning houses is important because the guests will come.

On New Year’s Eve, all relatives gather under one roof for an official family reunion celebration. Everyone tries to come and spend this time with their loved ones and share festive meals. Meat and fish are always on the New Year’s Eve table, regardless of the Zodiac symbol of the New Year. Zodiac animal symbols have nothing to do with the January 1st New Year celebration. Zhaozi dumplings, made from pork or beef by the whole family, are a traditional meal that symbolizes ingots of silver or gold.

China is enormous, and traditions vary in different parts of the country. The main thing is to cook as much food as possible, and the New Year’s Eve dinner lasts all night. In some places, soy curd or tofu is prepared for the New Year celebration. People do not finish eating fish (a symbol of wealth). They say, ‘Let there be so much food in the New Year that it would be impossible to eat it all.’

In China, people like to watch TV on a festive night. After the New Year’s Eve celebration at home, people walk with their relatives, friends, or neighbors. They can participate in calligraphy contests and games, watch street performances, and enjoy park concerts. Expensive costumed processions with drumming, gong strikes, and traditional dances look spectacular. One of the most popular is the lion dance, imitating a lion’s movements. A snake dance is remarkable for the 2025 year celebrations. It takes a whole team. A snake/dragon made of paper on poles moves so that it makes undulating movements.

Chinese like holiday fireworks and firecrackers, which scare away all the bad things and attract happiness and good luck in the new year. A grand lantern festival delights everyone on the last 15th day of Chinese New Year celebrations. Decorative paper lanterns light up everywhere. Fluffy white snow falls beautifully under the Chinese lanterns and immerses everyone in the atmosphere of the magic of Lunar New Year celebrations.

  by Ena Russ   
   17.01.2025