The Lunar New Year is the most important holiday in China and many other Asian countries. Celebrations will last until mid-February.

This year, Lunar New Year begins today, Wednesday, Jan. 29, and ends Feb. 12. Lunar New Year, also widely regarded as Chinese New Year since the late 19th century when it gained global recognition through Chinese immigrant communities, is a centuries-old tradition rooted in the lunar calendar.

It’s the Lunar New Year! As of January 29, 2025, we have officially entered the Year of the Snake. Lunar New Year — which includes Chinese New Year, Seollal in Korea, Tet in Vietnam and more — begins on Wednesday, kicking off more than two weeks of celebrations.

The Lunar New Year usually starts sometime between late January and mid-February. This year, the festivities begin on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, marking the arrival of the Year of the Snake. In mainland China, official celebrations last for seven days as a public holiday.

The first new moon of the lunar calendar officially ushered in the new year in many cultures Wednesday, marking the imminent arrival of spring and the first day of the Year of the Snake, which symbolizes good luck,