The Chinese New Year Lunar Calendar, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is a traditional Chinese holiday that marks the beginning of the lunar calendar year. It is celebrated by Chinese communities around the world and is a time for family reunions, feasting, and honoring ancestors.
The Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar, which is different from the Gregorian calendar used in most of the world. Each year is associated with one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, and 2026 will be the Year of the Horse.
2026 Chinese New Year Lunar Calendar
Important Dates for the 2026 Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year in 2026 will fall on Tuesday, January 27th. However, celebrations typically last for 15 days, culminating in the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. This festival is marked by colorful lantern displays, lion dances, and fireworks.
Other important dates during the Chinese New Year period include the Reunion Dinner on New Year’s Eve, the giving of red envelopes filled with money for good luck, and the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
Celebrations and Traditions
During the Chinese New Year, families clean their homes to sweep away bad luck and make way for good fortune. They also decorate their houses with red lanterns and couplets bearing auspicious phrases. Traditional foods such as dumplings and fish are eaten, and fireworks are set off to ward off evil spirits.
Other customs include visiting temples to pray for good fortune, wearing new clothes to symbolize a fresh start, and giving gifts of oranges and tangerines to bring prosperity. Lion and dragon dances are performed in the streets to bring luck and ward off evil spirits.