Spring Festival 2025
Date: January 30, 2025 (Thursday)
Country: China Public Holidays
Description
Spring Festival is the most important holiday in China. It marks the start of the lunar new year and is a time for families to think about new beginnings, hope, and togetherness. People celebrate the turning of the year.
The date changes each year because it follows the lunar calendar. It usually falls between late January and mid February. The festival starts on the first day of the lunar year and lasts for several days, with special importance on the first day.
Spring Festival is a time to honor family ties and remember ancestors. It is also a moment for people to wish each other good fortune, health, and success in the coming year. Many families take time off work to be together.
The holiday reflects deep cultural values like unity, renewal, and gratitude. It reminds people of their roots and community, helping to pass stories and shared meaning from one generation to the next.
Traditions
Before the holiday people clean their homes to sweep away bad luck. Walls get red paper couplets and lanterns. Families hang paper cuttings and put Spring Festival couplets on doors for good fortune.
On New Year Eve families gather for a big reunion dinner. They eat dumplings in the north and fish in the south. Sweet rice cake niangao and sticky rice are common for luck and sweetness in the year.
Children receive red envelopes with money from elders. People wear new clothes, often red. Streets fill with loud fireworks and firecrackers to drive away bad spirits.
Communities enjoy lion and dragon dances at temples and plazas. Many families visit ancestral graves or temples to show respect and pray for blessings.
Travel Tips
Book trains and flights early and expect huge crowds and sold out tickets. Many shops, museums and restaurants close or have short hours. Keep copies of your passport, ask hotels about services, and plan meals where places stay open.
Join public events and lantern or light displays in big parks for a safe local experience. Use metro and stay near main stations to avoid rushes. Carry cash and a phone charger, stay patient, and be respectful of space and queues.