Fun Facts About Chinese New Year
#1 2025 – THE YEAR OF THE WOODEN SNAKE
The Chinese Zodiac is a time-honored system used to mark years, each associated with one of twelve animal signs. These animals – Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig – are believed to influence the personalities of those born under their rule.
2025 is the Year of the Snake, a symbol of wisdom, intuition, and elegance. Snakes are known for their calm demeanor, strategic thinking, and deep understanding. This year is all about transformation, introspection, and making calculated moves for long-term success.
It’s worth noting that the Chinese zodiac has five elements associated with each sign: earth, fire, water, wood and metal. In 2025, it’s a year of the wood snake — an event that happens every 60 years. The wood element can amplify the Year of the Snake’s focus on creativity, flexibility and harmony — something desired by many.
Chinese New Year, celebrated by over 20% of the world, marks the start of each lunar year, ushering in a new 12-year cycle based on the zodiac animals. It’s the most significant celebration in China and holds cultural importance for Chinese communities worldwide.
#2 THE END OF THE COLDEST WINTER DAYS
The Chinese New Year Holiday marks marks the end of the coldest Winter days. People welcome spring and what it brings along: planting and harvests, new beginnings and fresh starts.
#3 DUMPLINGS FOR EVERY MEAL
Most people will eat dumplings during the New Year’s Eve dinner. Others will eat them for the first breakfast. Chinese believe that eating dumplings will bring prosperity in the coming year.
#4 RED ENVELOPES EVERYWHERE
An often-observed tradition during Spring Festival is to give gifts of red envelopes containing money. The color red symbolizes energy and fortune. New bills are expected; old, wrinkled cash is a sign of laziness. People sometimes walk around with cash-stuffed envelopes in case they run into someone they need to give a gift to. If someone offers you an envelope, it’s best to accept it with both hands and open it in private.
#5 RED FIREWORKS & FIRECRACKERS
Chinese New Year is a happy and lively festival, so for Chinese people lots of noise is a must to heighten the festival atmosphere, and firecrackers and fireworks are the cultural way to do it. In ancient times, it was believed that the explosive sound of firecrackers scared away evil spirits, who might otherwise bring bad luck. Nowadays, people set off firecrackers and fireworks during the spring festival to express their happiness, and invite good luck.
#6 RED COLORFUL CLOTHES
The red, colorful clothes favored for the holiday symbolize good fortune. When buying clothes for Chinese New Year, go for red. This is the best color for the occasion. Stay away from black and white, as they are unlucky and negative. In China, both black and white apparel is traditionally associated with mourning and are to be avoided during the Lunar month.
#7 ASIA’S LARGEST TRAVEL RUSH
Billions of trips are taken over the six-week Chinese New Year period. Chinese New Year is yearly the world’s largest seasonal migration of people. The holiday is celebrated by millions of people of Chinese decent all over the world.
#8 GONG XI FA CAI
‘Gong Hei Fat Choy’ is the most common Chinese New Year greeting in Cantonese, which is spoken in parts of southern China and Hong Kong. It directly translates to “wishing you great happiness and prosperity.” In Mandarin, the same greeting is “gong xi fa cai” (pronounced gong she fa tsai).
Chinese New Year falls on 29th of February in 2025, and it promises to be a big celebration full of fab get-togethers – especially for those born in the year of the snake.
Did you know that for those born in a Year of the Snake, the world often sees them as alluring, astute, charming and thoughtful. Celebrities born in years of the snake include Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Daniel Radcliffe, Joe Jonas, Orlando Bloom, Shakira, Shania Twain, Chris Martin, Ben Stiller, Charlie Sheen, Brooke Shields, Chris Walk, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cyndi Lauper, Hulk Hogan, Bob Dylan, Audrey Hepburn, Dick Clark, Mahatma Gandhi and Pablo Picasso.
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