However, for signs like the Pig and Monkey, 2026 could pose some challenges. If you’re unsure of your zodiac sign, you can easily find it with an online zodiac calculator (or using the one below). Each zodiac sign has a unique relationship with the Year of the Horse. Though their zodiac year may bring challenges, these obstacles often lead to greater wisdom and personal growth for Horses. Red underwear, socks, or accessories are believed to ward off misfortune and invite blessings. In the zodiac, they thrive in lively settings and are often seen as natural leaders and motivators.
When is Chinese New Year 2026/2027? – February 17 for 2026, February 6 for 2027
The clever Snake coiled around the Horse’s hoof, managing to finish the race ahead of the Horse and causing the Horse to fall into the seventh place. According to Chinese mythology, the order of the zodiac animals was decided by a Great Race held by the Jade Emperor. The Chinese zodiac follows a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by a different animal. This story explains two important traditions—hanging red decorations and lighting firecrackers—representing victory over evil and a fresh start to the year.
Why is it the Year of the Horse?
This is also considered a propitious day to visit the temple of the God of Wealth and have one’s future told. Hakka villagers in rural Hong Kong in the 1960s called it the Day of the Poor Devil and believed everyone should stay at home. As this day is believed to be The Birthday of Che Kung, a deity worshipped in Hong Kong, worshippers go to Che Kung Temples to pray for his blessing.
- The Lunar New Year begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar cycle and ends 15 days later with the first full moon.
- Amid the sound of firecrackers, a year has come to an end,The spring wind has wafted warm breath to the Tusu wine.While the rising sun shines over each and every household,People get rid of the old couplets and put up the new ones.
- A reunion dinner is held on New Year’s Eve, during which family members gather for a celebration.
- According to Chinese metaphysics consultant Vicki Iskandar, the Year of the Horse comes every 12 years and the last time “we had the Fire Horse as the ‘pillar’ of the year was in 1966”.
- Red packets are generally given by married couples to the younger unmarried members of the family.
- The temperament traditionally attributed to the Horse – bold, enthusiastic, energetic – aligns naturally with the attributes of Yang Fire.
- In Taiwan, spring travel is a significant event known as the Spring Festival travel rush.
South Asia
Since then, on every New Year’s Eve, parents have wrapped coins in red paper to protect their children. Additionally, dumplings and spring rolls symbolize wealth, whereas sweet rice balls symbolize family togetherness. The pomelo, which is believed to bring constant prosperity, also has a pronunciation that symbolize good luck. Other traditional foods consist of noodles, fruits, dumplings, spring rolls, and Tangyuan, which are also known as sweet rice balls.
Lunar New Year’s Day: Family visits and red packets
Business people of the Cantonese dialect group will hold a Hoi Nin prayer to start their business on the second day of the Chinese New Year, blessing their business to thrive in the coming year. Some people do not offer a Buddhist prayer due to the influence of Christianity, with a Christian prayer offered instead. Confucianists take the opportunity to remember their ancestors, and those who had lived before them are revered. Any haircuts need to be completed before the New Year, as cutting hair on Ringospin Casino New Year is considered bad luck due to the homonymic nature of the word “hair” (fa) and the word for “prosperity”. Some people give their homes, doors, and window-frames a new coat of red paint; decorators and paper-hangers experience a year-end rush of business before the Chinese New Year.
The celebration attracts between 300,000 and 500,000 people yearly, according to the organisers. In London, celebrations take place in Chinatown, Leicester Square, and Trafalgar Square. Many people also celebrate by going to temples across Southern California, and the largest temple celebration is held at Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights. Starting in 2014, there are also larger celebrations at the Orange County Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa, which attract over 50,000 visitors.
Word of the emperor’s gesture spread, and later it became the custom of people in general, who used Xuan paper instead of gold leaves. The poem describes people cleaning millet stacks, offering mijiu (rice wine) to guests, slaughtering lambs, visiting their master’s home, toasting him, and expressing wishes for longevity together. Before the new year celebration was established, ancient Chinese gathered and celebrated the end of the harvest in autumn.
- On the sixth day, known as Horse’s Day, people drive away the Ghost of Poverty by discarding the garbage accumulated during the festival.
- Lantern Festival is famous for its Yuan Xiao (sweet rice balls), whose round shape symbolizes family unity and togetherness.
- There are too many people on the way, so the transportation department needs to make every effort to ensure that passengers can go home and come back safely.
- According to the legend, every Lunar New Year’s Eve this ferocious underwater beast with sharp teeth and horns would crawl onto the land and attack a nearby village.
- In Bangkok, there are large celebrations in Chinatown, Yaowarat Road, where the main road is closed and turned into a pedestrian street, with a member of the royal family in attendance each year to open the ceremony, such as Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
- Traditional foods include carp for long life, whole fish for abundance, dumplings and spring rolls for wealth, long noodles for longevity, sticky rice cakes for success, and citrus fruits for good luck.
Day 5: Welcoming the God of Wealth
According to Chinese metaphysics consultant Vicki Iskandar, the Year of the Horse comes every 12 years and the last time “we had the Fire Horse as the ‘pillar’ of the year was in 1966”. The Chinese zodiac system combines a 12-year animal cycle with a 60-year elemental cycle created by pairing the five elements with yin and yang. The Vietnamese zodiac is slightly different, as it honours the cat instead of the rabbit and the buffalo instead of the ox. According to legend, as God prepared to depart from Earth, he invited all the animals to bid him farewell.
Each flower has a symbolic meaning, and many Chinese people believe that it may usher in the values that it represents. During Chinese New Year day, work at most establishments stops, and a favourite pastime is playing Mahjong with family or friends. In some places, the taking of a family portrait is an important ceremony after the relatives are gathered. The colour red is commonly worn throughout Chinese New Year; traditional beliefs held that red could scare away evil spirits. In mainland China, the New Year’s Gala is broadcast by every TV station, featuring traditional performances and a message by the president. It is customary for gifts to be wrapped in red or golden paper, symbolizing good luck.
The preparation begins on the first of the Lunar Calendar and the celebration lasts until the 15th of the first month. The Chinese zodiac year begins with Chinese New Year, thus changing the cycle to a new animal. One popular Chinese New Year tradition is the thorough cleaning of one’s home to rid the residence of any lingering bad luck.
Chinese New Year, annual 15-day festival in China and Chinese communities around the world that begins with the new moon occurring sometime between January 21 and February 20, according to Western calendars. In Paris, since the 1980s, month-long celebrations have been held in several districts with many performances. Signed into law in 2022 and effective in 2023, California declared the Lunar New Year a state government holiday.
The dates change every year because the festival is based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Get the latest stories delivered straight to your inbox. President Trump has warned of severe consequences if no nuclear deal is reached, while Iran demands sanctions relief as part of any agreement. US and Iranian officials are meeting in Geneva for a second round of talks on Tehran’s nuclear program, mediated by Oman, amid rising tensions and military drills. The previous zodiac year, from January 29, 2025, to February 16, 2026, was the Year of the Wood Snake, representing a time to shed old habits, reassess what works, and trust inner wisdom.
