A 2025 guide to Lunar New Year as we slither into the Year of the Snake
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CNN —Seeing an overabundance of red lately? From clothing shops to city streets, the fiery hue is going to be on display a lot in the coming days.
It’s all part of the fun as the world gears up to celebrate Lunar New Year, widely considered the most important event of the year in China and Chinese communities around the planet.
Marking the first new moon of the lunar calendar, it falls on January 29 in 2025, kicking off the 15-day Spring Festival. Celebrations vary depending on the country or region, but there are a few common traditions.
Whether you’re unfamiliar with the occasion or need a refresher, this guide to ushering in the Year of the Snake has you covered.
People pray over incense at Thien Hau Pagoda for the Tet New Year on January 24, 2023 in HO CHI MINH.Related article Is it Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year? Depends who you ask
Why is it the Year of the Snake?
Incredibly complex, the Chinese zodiac calendar is best described as a 12-year cycle represented by 12 animals, in this order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
Your personal zodiac animal sign is determined by your year of birth, meaning 2025 will welcome plenty of baby Snakes. Children born in the last lunar calendar year were Dragons, while those born on or after the Lunar New Year in 2026 will be Horses, and so on.
Snake-shaped installations dazzle visitors at Shanghai's 2025 Yuyuan Garden Lantern Festival.Followers believe that for each Chinese zodiac sign, luck will depend largely on the positions of the Tai Sui — a