CNY 2024: A Day-by-Day Breakdown of How to Celebrate Properly

There’s a whole lot to know if you’re going to celebrate Chinese New Year properly, and this year I plan on doing everything by the book and sticking as close to tradition as possible, partly to teach my little girl this side of her heritage and partly to finally satisfy the curiosity I’ve had for it all these decades. So, join me as I explain every Chinese New Year tradition that’s about to take over the city.

Let’s start with the dates this year and what people traditionally do on each of these days.

This year, Chinese New Year falls on Feb 10. The reason that it changes every year is because it follows the lunar calendar, which is why it’s also referred to as the Lunar New Year.

How many days is the Chinese New Year? Chinese New Year typically lasts around 15 or 16 days because it begins with the new moon that falls sometime between the end of January and the end of February and ends on the following full moon. The arrival of the full moon is traditionally marked with a Festival of Lanterns. This year, Chinese New Year is 16 days, starting from Feb 10.

But before the holiday officially starts, there are traditions to follow. In the days leading up to Chinese New Year’s Eve, you’re supposed to do all your holiday shopping for your friends and family. By this time, supermarkets and malls will be filled with red and gold gift boxes of all sizes.

There's more to this story! This article was originally posted on our sister account, jingkids International.

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Images: Pexels, Bing

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