From when it starts to how it’s celebrated, here’s what to know:
When is Lunar New Year in 2024?
This year, Lunar New Year’s Eve is 9 February.
Some two billion people will celebrate Lunar New Year. Source: Getty / Tamati Smith
Lunar New Year is observed widely across East Asia and different countries and cultures will mark it differently, though there is a general theme of togetherness.
It’s also known by different names in different countries. In China it is commonly referred to as the Spring Festival; in Vietnam, Tết; in South Korea, Seollal; and Indonesia, Imlek.
Which zodiac animal will be celebrated?
There are 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac, each named after an animal and assigned to a year in 12-year cycles. Source: Getty, iStockphoto / Tatianazaets
How is Lunar New Year celebrated?
Lanterns and light installations illuminate the city walls during a rehearsal of the Spring Festival Light Show on 1 February in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province of China. Source: Getty / VCG
With the Year of the Dragon a symbol of good fortune, it’s also believed there could be a baby boom.
“Childbearing is still a big decision, involving extensive considerations,” Assistant Professor Mu Zheng, a sociologist studying China’s fertility at the National University of Singapore, told The Straits Times newspaper. “The auspicious connotations of the Year of the Dragon may motivate those who intend to have children to act on it, but for those who are reluctant, it may not be very effective.”
A dance troupe performs an acrobatic lion dance as part of Lunar New Year celebrations at Market City in Chinatown, Sydney in 2022. Source: AAP / Steven Saphore
Common Lunar New Year greetings
In Korean: 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (pronounced: sae-hae bok man-i ba-deu-se-yo; meaning: please receive a lot of luck in the New Year).