Holidays
Year of the Goat 2027
The Year of the Goat runs from February 6, 2027 to January 25, 2028. Here are the dates, the meaning of a Fire Goat year and the traditions behind it.
Holidays
Holiday dates, traditions and greetings, from Lunar New Year to the winter holidays.
Articles
Holidays
What to Wear for Chinese New Year
Wear something new and something red: that is the heart of Chinese New Year dressing. Here are the lucky colors, the ones to skip and easy outfit ideas.
Holidays
Red Envelopes for Chinese New Year
Red envelopes hold gifts of money given at Chinese New Year, mostly from elders to children. Here is who gives, how much is usual and how to receive one.
Holidays
Lunar New Year vs Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is one festival; Lunar New Year is the wider name that also covers Tet and Seollal. Here is the difference and when to use each.
Holidays
Chinese New Year Traditions
The main Chinese New Year traditions in order, from cleaning the house and the reunion dinner to red envelopes, lion dances and the Lantern Festival.
Holidays
Chinese New Year Superstitions and Taboos
The traditional do's and don'ts of Chinese New Year, from not sweeping on the first day to avoiding the number four, and why each one exists.
Holidays
Chinese New Year Greetings
How to say Happy Chinese New Year in Mandarin and Cantonese, with meanings and pronunciation, plus card messages for the Year of the Goat 2027.
Holidays
Chinese New Year Gifts
What to bring when you are invited for Chinese New Year: fruit, sweets and red envelopes are welcome, while clocks, pears and sets of four are avoided.
Holidays
Chinese New Year Food and What It Means
The traditional foods of Chinese New Year, from whole fish and dumplings to nian gao and sweet rice balls, and the wish each one carries.
Holidays
Chinese New Year Decorations and Their Meanings
A guide to the classic Chinese New Year decorations, from red lanterns and door couplets to the upside-down fu character, and the wish behind each one.
Holidays
Chinese New Year 2027: Date and Calendar
Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday, February 6 and starts the Year of the Goat. Here is the calendar of key days and the dates for the years ahead.
About Holidays
Holidays are easier to enjoy when the practical questions are out of the way: when does it start this year, what do people actually do, and what do you say or bring? This section collects plain answers. Each guide gives the dates first, then the story behind the tradition and the customs families still keep, with sources you can check.
We begin with Lunar New Year and the Year of the Goat, which starts on February 6, 2027: the key dates, the zodiac animal and its element, red envelopes, lucky foods and greetings. More holiday guides are added through the year.
Traditions differ from one family and one country to the next, so we describe the common versions and say where they vary. Signs, omens and lucky colors are presented as folklore, not as predictions. Pick a guide above, or try one of our free tools while you are here.