Ring in the Lunar New Year and learn more about how different countries celebrate the holiday.
While also known as Chinese New Year, the Lunar New Year—or the Spring Festival—is a holiday celebrated in many different countries in Asia, as well as Asian communities around the world.
Usually taking place sometime between January 21 and February 20, this year’s Lunar New Year falls on January 29, with 2025 marking the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac.
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With celebrations now in full swing across the globe, let’s take a look at some of the New Year traditions that have stood the test of time.
China
Chinese New Year, also called Guo Nian, is the biggest holiday in Chinese tradition. The day marks the beginning of spring and the arrival of the New Year, a holiday many families celebrate together.
Before the start of the holiday, Chinese households usually clean their homes thoroughly, signifying a fresh start. It is believed that by doing so, it rids the home of the previous year’s bad luck and makes the space welcoming for good fortune and prosperity in the coming year. Brooms and mops are then set aside on the New Year, so that incoming luck isn’t swept away.
Red symbolizes joy and luck during this holiday, so homes and communities are decorated with the color. People also shop for red clothes to wear for the New Year, ringing in the holiday with a festive spirit.
Families welcome the New Year with a reunion dinner held on New Year’s Eve, which usually lasts until past midnight. Auspicious dishes like dumplings and fish, usually made from scratch, fill their tables.
Celebrating the Lunar New Year festival usually includes parties, fireworks, and lion dances. Young family members usually receive red envelopes called hóngbāo (Mandarin) or lai see (Cantonese), filled with money.
The end of the Lunar New Year is celebrated with a Lantern Festival, with celebrations varying from region to region. Some of the popular customs include lighting lanterns, watching parades and lion dances, as well as writing and solving riddles on lanterns.
South Korea
In South Korea, the Lunar New Year is known as Seollal. During the holiday period, many Koreans travel back to their family homes to celebrate with their loved ones.
Instead of wearing all red, they usually dress up in traditional Korean clothing called hanbok. On the New Year, one of the customs they take part in is called sebae, the act of kneeling and bowing deeply to your elders while wishing them a happy New Year.
The tradition of bowing shows great respect to the elders. Afterward, they will usually reward the gesture with money, known as sebaetdon, placed inside an envelope or a silk bag. When the family gathers to eat, they have a spread of dishes including tteokguk (rice cake soup), mandu (Korean dumplings), jeon (savory pancakes), and japchae (glass noodles).
During Seollal, Korean families often play traditional games together. One of the most popular is a board game called yutnori, which is played between two teams with a set of four specially designed sticks. After throwing the sticks, the side they land on determines how far the players move on the board.
Another popular activity is yeonnalligi or kite-flying. They let the kites fly far away then cut its string around sunset. The act is believed to ward off misfortune that may lie ahead in the upcoming year and symbolize letting go of old worries.
Vietnam
The Vietnamese call the Lunar New Year Tết Nguyên Đán or just Tết. Like in other countries, the holiday is often spent with family and it is also their most significant celebration. Their preparations begin weeks in advance, from cleaning homes and vehicles, to purchasing new clothes and getting haircuts.
Kumquat trees or peach blossoms are used for decorations and displayed in a place of honor. They believe that the bigger the kumquat trees, the more prosperity and health the family will receive in the new year.
Food, like in many Asian households, is an integral part of the celebration. Traditional dishes include sticky rice cake snacks like bánh Tét (a log-shaped treat) and bánh chưng (a square cake).
Other dishes include củ kiệu (pickled scallion), tom kho (dried shrimp), nem (fried spring rolls), and mut Tét (candied fruits). In Southern Vietnam, their Tết meal consists of caramelized pork, bitter melon soup, and chicken salad, among other dishes.
Vietnamese also don their own traditional attire called the áo dài, which is a silk tunic with slits on either side. On the New Year, many families go to the temple together to pray for good luck, health, and fortune. Like in other countries, children often receive red envelopes with money inside from their older relatives.
Banner image by Thomas Despeyroux via Unsplash.
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