Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year 2026 - Year of the Fire Horse

Chinese New Year begins on 17 February 2026 and lasts for fifteen days. The celebrations traditionally end with the Lantern Festival. The 2026 lunar year is the "Year of the Horse". The zodiac element is "Fire", thus 2026 is celebrated as the "Year of the Fire Horse".

Here are some interesting Chinese New Year Facts which were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids.

What you will find on our page:

What is it?
When is it?
At A Glance
Celebrations
Chinese Calendar
Zodiac Signs
Zodiac Elements

Be lucky in 2026!
Wishes
Food
Traditions
Why Red?
Customs: Dos and Don'ts
Useful Resources

What is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year, marks the start of a new year based on the lunar calendar.

This special annual event is celebrated by Chinese communities around the world. Many Asian communities celebrate the new year on the same day but use different names for their Lunar New Year festivities:

In China, they call it called Spring Festival (Chūn Jié).
In Vietnam, it is called Tết.
In South Korea, they call the new year Seollal.
Overseas Chinese communities usually use the name Chinese New Year.

The celebrations usually takes place in January or February.

This year, the first month of the new lunar year will start according to the Lunar calendar on 17 February 2026.

Snapshot - At A Glance

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year in 2026 is on 17 February 2026. The celebrations in China take place over 15 days from the start of the new year which is based on the lunar calendar. The Lunar New Year, however, is celebrated by Asian communities all over the world and is best referred to as Lunar New Year. Other names for the Lunar New Year are Seollal in Korea or Tet in Vietnam.

This is a time for family, good luck, and new beginnings and often the Lunar New Year is also called a Spring festival.

Typical New Year Traditions

Dragon and lion dances to bring good luck
Decorating homes with red lanterns and couplets (pairs of red banners)
Giving red envelopes with money
Eating lucky foods like dumplings, fish, and noodles
Setting off firecrackers and fireworks
Red and gold are the dominant colours.

When is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year is the start of the new year based on the lunar calendar. It begins on the first new moon of the lunar calendar which usually falls between 21 January and 20 February.

Many Asian communities celebrate their new year according to the Lunar Calendar and not only on the 1st of January, as many countries do according to the Gregorian calendar. The lunar new year starts about one month later than the Gregorian calendar. Unlike the New Year Celebrations on 1 January, the lunar new year follows the moon cycle, so the date changes every year.

The celebrations last for 15 days and end with the Lantern Festival.

Lunar New Year is an important public holiday in many Asian countries including China, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia. In many other countries, communities celebrate the start of the Lunar New Year in the city's districts where Asian communities are home, such as in 'Chinatown' or 'Little Saigon'. Read more about the Lunar New Year celebrations around the world on our special page here.

New Year Celebrations

Many families honour their ancestors and welcome the new year with traditions that bring good luck, happiness and prosperity.

During the New Year celebrations, ancestors are honoured and traditional ceremonies are held, such as visits to the temples, visiting or participating in lion or dragon dances and parades.

Family and friends gather for special meals and welcome the new year with traditions that shall bring good luck, good fortune, wealth, prosperity and happiness. Gifts are exchanged and fireworks or firecrackers light up the sky, and the end of the celebrations is usually marked by the Lantern Festival.

Lantern Festival in Taiwan

The Chinese Calendar

The Chinese calendar is different from the Gregorian calendar that we use today. It was started on astronomical observations of the moon's phases and is based on the phases of the moon, so the new year usually begins about one month later than 1 January.

The Chinese zodiac follows a 12-year cycle. Each year is represented by a different animal, which becomes the symbol of that year.

The 12 Chinese zodiac animals are: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

Chinese Zodiac Signs

Look again at the listing of animals! They always come in the same order, so 2024 was the year of the dragon and 2025 was the year of the snake, thus 2026 is the year of the horse!

Which animal will it be in 2027? (We share the answer at the bottom of the page under 'Resources')

Zodiac Elements

The Chinese distinguish between five types of each animal species in their zodiac according to the elements: fire, earth, metal, wood and water.

The Chinese zodiac signs will be combined with the five elements. There are five different specific animals such as the 'fire rooster' (2017) or the 'earth ox' (2009), the 'metal ox' in 2021, the 'water rabbit' in 2023, the 'wood snake' in 2025 and now the 'fire horse' in 2026.

People are assigned a zodiac sign according to their year of their birth. And zodiac signs are said to show certain characteristics.

Special 'horse' characteristics would apply then for people born in the 'year of the horse': These people are considered as confident, intelligent and responsibl but also impatient and are easily swayed. They have many talents and strengths, but can get bored really easily and can be attention seekers.

Be lucky in 2026!

Some things are considered especially auspicious in the Year of the Horse. Among these are:

lucky colours for the horse: green, yellow, brown
lucky numbers for the horse: 2, 3 and 7 - and any numbers that contain a combination of those numbers
lucky flower for the horse: jasmine and calla lily
unlucky numbers for the horse: 1, 5 and 6
unlucky colours for the horse: blue and white

Are you or anybody in your family born in the year of the horse? The last 'horse' years were: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978 or 1966.

Lunar New Year Wishes

People wish each other good luck, happiness and wealth for the new year. The words used most in good wishes are: happiness, wealth, prosperity, prosperous, auspicious

'Gong Xi Fa Cai' means 'Have a prosperous new year'

Gong Xi Fa Cai - Happy Lunar New Year

Most common are the Mandarin words: Gong Xi Fa Cai (try to pronounce it as Gong-she-faa-tsai) and the Cantonese: Gong Hey Fat Choy (pronounce it as: Gong Hee Faat Choy). Both wishes mean: Wishing you a prosperous new year.

Typical Chinese New Year Food

During the new year celebrations, people eat special 'auspicious' or lucky foods. Auspicious means something that is believed to bring good luck. Fish is very popular in many Asian communities as it is a symbol of good luck, wealth and a healthy life.

Dumplings are traditionally eaten during the festivities. These small balls, made mostly with rice flour, are often filled with vegetables or meat. These pastry parcels are usually shaped lice ancient gold bars which represent wealth.

Mandarin oranges, dried fruit and sweets are seen as lucky food too. Candy boxes and little round biscuits, symbolising gold coins or fortune, are served everywhere and shared with family and friends.

Chinese New Year dinner with family and friends

Chinese New Year is celebrated with family and friends

Many families prepare food up to a week in advance as one must not use a knife or cooking fire on New Years day. Cutting with a knife on New Year's Day symbolises bad luck. Also make sure that your plate is never empty, as this would be seen as bad luck too, or that your luck has run out!

Long noodles are a popular dish that symbolises good fortune as well as a long life.

Yusheng - good luck food for Chinese New Year

Typical 'good luck dish' Yusheng

A typical New Year's dish is Yusheng. This raw fish salad with rice or long noodles is eaten by many during the festive period.

Yusheng is often enjoyed on the seventh day of the new year. The dish is a symbol for wealth and longevity. The fish salad is usually served in a huge bowl placed in the middle of the table, and family and friends toss the noodles together before eating.

Chinese New Year dishes

Lunar New Year Traditions

Red is an important colour during the celebrations. Red decorations, lanterns, and clothing are everywhere because red symbolises good luck and prosperity. Many people also wear new clothes to show a fresh start for the new year. In Mandarin, the word for ‘red’ sounds the same as the word for ‘prosperous’.

Dragon and lion dances are a big part of the New Year celebrations in many countries. In China and Vietnam, some families even invite a dance troupe into their homes to perform a traditional dragon or lion dance.

Lunar new year's dragon dance in Vietnam - image by Saigoneer/shutterstock.com

Lunar New Year Dragon Dance in Vietnam

Firecrackers are lit as these shall bring good luck and fortune. However, due to safety reasons, firecrackers are banned in many areas nowadays and official fireworks displays are held instead.

On the second day of the new year, families visit each other and give small gifts. And sometimes even the family dog might get a present too!

Gifts are often include money or little tokens and are given in 'red packets' or little red envelopes as these symbolise prosperity and happiness. Married family members hand red envelopes (called hongbao in Mandarin) with money to children to show their goodwill and give blessings for the new year to the other family members.

Red envelopes or hongboa are presented to children

Children sometimes get oranges, sweets or coins. Gifts are usually given in even numbers such as two mandarins, two packets or eight coins. The number eight is considered an especially lucky or auspicious number!

Chinese New Year red packets and oranges - image: shurtterstock.com

Typical Lunar New Year gifts: Mandarins and 'red packets'

Why Red?

Red is an important colour during the celebrations as it symbolises luck and prosperity. Bright colours dominate everywhere. Red decorations, red lanterns and pairs of red couplets or scrolls are seen as lucky symbols and are popular everywhere. The red decorations and red clothing shall attract luck and prosperity for the year to come.

People dress mainly in red for the festivities. Often people also buy new clothes to show that a fresh beginning is celebrated with the new year. In the Mandarin language, the word for 'red' sounds the same as the word for 'prosperous'.

Find more fun facts about Chinese New Year for Kids on our special page here:

Chinese New Year Customs | What to do and what not to do

There are some special rules during Chinese New Year to bring good luck and to avoid back luck.

Scissors and brooms should stay out of sight and out of action on the first day of New Year. These tools are considered to bring bad luck for the year to come and to brush away the good luck.
Do not wash or cut your hair on the first days of the Lunar New Year. This would be seen as a sign of washing and cutting away good luck.
Do not clean your house on the first day of Lunar New Year. Cleaning is a sign of swiping away good luck - and in case one has to clean something, then do it after dark.
Do not do laundry on Chinese New Year. Doing laundry means washing away good luck and wealth.
Don’t give gifts that are black or white in colour. Also do neither give clocks or watches nor shoes. Watches could mean that time is running out and shoes would mean that one could walk away from the friendship or relationship.
Don't give gifts in uneven numbers. Always give presents in pairs or even numbers, such as two oranges or two or more coins (in even numbers).
Wear colourful clothes, especially red, orange, and yellow colours are appreciated. Don't dress in white, black or dark blue during this time.

Chinese New Year - Resources

Cindy. "22 Facts About Chinese New Year you should know". China Highlights. Last updated 19 January 2024. Last accessed 12 February 2026
Ruby Zhao. "2026 - Year of the Horse." China Highlights. Last updated 18 December 2025. Last accessed 12 February 2026.
Sophie Song. "Year of the Horse'. Chinese New Year.net. Last updated 1 February 2026. Last accessed 12 Febrauary 2026
Hong Kong Tourism. Discover Hong Kong. Last accessed 12 February 2026
CNN World Gallery. "Photos: Lunar New Year 2020". CNN World. 23 January 2020. Last accessed 12 February 2026

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Chinese New Year - Answer to question in section titled 'Chinese Calendar': 2027 will be the year of the goat.

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