The Chinese New Yearalso known as Spring Festival, is one of the most significant holidays in China and many other Asian cultures. In 2025 this celebration will take place on January 29thmarking the beginning ofYear of the Wood Snake.
This special period is seen as an opportunity to renew, reflect and wish luck and prosperity for the year ahead. With roots deeply linked to Chinese lunisolar calendarChinese New Year is rich in traditions and symbolism that make it unique.
Preparations for Chinese New Year
The weeks preceding the holiday are dedicated to preparationswhich begin with a thorough cleaning of the houses, symbolizing the elimination of the bad luck accumulated in the previous year. This gesture, known as “sweep away the dust”, represents a new beginning.
The red decorations they dominate the environment, with lanterns, scrolls and symbolic images adorning the streets and homes, bringing messages of protection and good luck. The famous red envelopes, or hongbaocontaining money, are given to children and unmarried people as a wish for prosperity. As technology spreads, it is increasingly common to send these envelopes digitally via apps like WeChat.
The evening before Christmas Eve is characterized by meeting dinnera central moment in which families come together to share traditional dishes such as ravioli, a symbol of luck, and fish, which represents abundance.
The celebrations continue with spectacular lion and dragon dancesaccompanied by music and drums, to chase away evil spirits and invoke good luck. At midnight, fireworks light up the sky in a riot of color, marking the start of the new year with energy and hope.
What does the Wooden Snake represent
Another awaited moment is the CCTV New Year’s Eve Galaa television show that brings families together in front of the screen with artistic performances, music and comedy. During this period, food plays an essential role, with symbolic dishes such as dumplings, glutinous rice balls (tangyuan) and fish representing luck, family unity and abundance.
Chinese New Year is also the time of the world’s largest annual human movement, known as Chunyunduring which millions of people they move to reach your loved ones. Planning trips in advance becomes essential in this crowded period.
The Year of the Wood Snake that will come in is full of symbolic meanings. The serpent represents wisdom, introspection and stabilitywhile the wood element gives strength and rooting. These aspects suggest a year of harmony, inner balance and attention to family values.
Furthermore, the Chinese New Year celebrations in 2025 will feature an interesting fusion of tradition and modernitywith the growing use of digital technologies to send greetings and gifts. Even outside of China, this holiday is celebrated with enthusiasm in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United States and the United Kingdomwhere parades and public events involving entire communities are organised.
