Chinese New Year is celebrated in the first two weeks of the Chinese year, on varying dates, usually between the end of January and mid-February. The holiday is celebrated in China and Hong Kong and in countries with a large population of Chinese like Singapore and Taiwan.
The Chinese calendar is determined by the moon. It operates for a cycle of 60 years, with every two consecutive years bearing a name associated with one of the five elements: water, wood, fire, earth, metal and one of the 12 animals: monkey, rooster, dog, pig, rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon , Snake, horse and sheep.
Common Chinese New Year customs are buying gifts for family, friends and acquaintances, hanging lanterns, mostly in red that brings good luck, decorating, cleaning and grooming the house, a family dinner for union and family harmony, where dishes like ducks, pigs, chicken and sweet delicacies are served.
One of the common blessings for the beginning of the new year is "Good Luck", because the Chinese believe that a new year brings with it a good luck. So in the greeting cards they send to each other they wish the new year good luck. In order to ward off bad luck and bring good luck closer, the Chinese usually hang traditional symbols on their doorstep and during the hanging make noise and commotion with the help of firecrackers.
During the holiday you can watch festive processions of dancers and especially those who carry paper dolls in the shape of a lion and a dragon that symbolize good luck. The holiday culminates and ends on the 15th of the first month of the new year, with a celebration of lights, or a lantern festival across China.
When does the Chinese New Year come out in the coming years and which are the animals that symbolize the coming years?
2020- January 25 - Year of the Rat
2021 - February 12 - the year of the ox
2022 - February 1 - The Year of the Tiger
2023- January 22 - Year of the Rabbit
2024- February 10 - Year of the Dragon
2025- January 29 - Snake Year
2026- February 17 - The Year of the Horse
2027- February 6 - Year of the Sheep
2028- January 26 - the year of the monkey
2029- February 13 - the year of the rooster
2030- February 3 - Year of the Dog
2031 - January 23 - the year of the pig