A little reason to celebrate
Lunar New Year
Seasonal ยท Date set each year
Lunar New Year marks the start of the year on the lunar calendar, with family meals, red decorations, red envelopes and lion dances.
Lunar New Year falls on Saturday, February 6, 2027. That is 102 days away.
Lunar New Year marks the start of a new year on the lunar calendar, which follows the phases of the moon. It goes by other names too, including Chinese New Year and Spring Festival, and it is marked in the United States as well as in many other countries. Because it follows the moon, it lands in a different spot on the usual calendar each year.
The days leading up to it are busy. Many families give their homes a thorough cleaning before the new year begins, as if sweeping out the old one. Red decorations go up on doors and windows, and red turns up everywhere, from paper lanterns to clothing. Elders often hand children red envelopes with money tucked inside.
Food carries a lot of meaning. Dumplings, whole fish, noodles and sticky rice cakes appear on many tables, often chosen because their names or shapes suggest luck, plenty or a long life. A reunion dinner on the eve of the new year brings relatives together, sometimes after long trips home.
In many American cities, parades with lion and dragon dances move through neighborhoods to the sound of drums and cymbals. Each year is also linked to one of twelve animals in a repeating cycle, so people like to ask which animal year they were born in. The answer tends to start a longer conversation about personality than anyone planned.
Ways to celebrate
- Look for a local parade or lion dance in your area.
- Try making dumplings at home with friends or family.
- Ask a friend which zodiac animal year they were born in.
- Visit a neighborhood restaurant serving a traditional new year dish.
- Hang a simple red paper decoration on your door.
Things for the day
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Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, February 17 |
| 2027 | Saturday, February 6 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, January 26 |
| 2029 | Tuesday, February 13 |
| 2030 | Sunday, February 3 |
All national days on February 6
Also on February 6
- National Frozen Yogurt Day
- Ice Cream for Breakfast Day
- National Chopsticks Day
- Lame Duck Day
- Take Your Child to the Library Day
Categories: Seasonal days