As the new year approaches, it is clear which year the Chinese are entering. The stores are overflowing with decorations depicting the animal signs of the coming year.

Meter-high shelves offer lots of decorations, which the Chinese traditionally hang on the door. As the new year approaches, the Chinese hang up the decorations, which symbolize the character 福(fú), which means happiness.

The keywords for the Chinese New Year celebration are family, festivities and fireworks.

The Chinese New Year marks the turn of the year, just like in Sweden.

Apart from that, Chinese New Year is quite different from what we are used to.

The Chinese calendar is different from ours. Although the Chinese also live in the year 2025, just like we do, they are simultaneously living in the year 4723.

Our era is calculated from the birth of Jesus, while the Chinese era is calculated from the Chinese calendar of Emperor Huangdi. According to legend, Huangdi created the lunar and solar calendar, and the Chinese era has its starting point in Huangdi's first year of rule, 2698 years before the birth of Jesus.

In Chinese, the New Year is called 春节 (chūnjié) and means Spring Festival.

Unlike our New Year, the dates for Chinese New Year vary from year to year. However, the New Year always falls between January 21 and February 20.

The date of the New Year is determined based on the Chinese lunar calendar, and therefore the Chinese New Year does not fall at the same time as our turn of the year.

In 2025, Chinese New Year falls on January 29 (the year of the snake)

The New Year celebration lasts for 15 days. The party begins when the new moon is visible and ends when the full moon is visible.

Source: TourCompass