Lunar New Year celebrations begin Wednesday. Here's everything to know about the 2025 Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake.

Over 1 billion people celebrate the holiday, which marks the transition from cold winter to a season of renewal and ushers in one of 12 Chinese zodiac signs.

Lunar New Year is nearly here, with January 29 ushering in the Year of the Snake. Google is ready to celebrate with an appropriately snake-ified Doodle. In addition to the main Lunar New Year Doodle, Google’s also got a special edition for South Korea.

Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, falls on Jan. 29–Feb. 12 this year. Celebrate at one of these nearby events.

One well-known ancient legend speaks of Nian, a hideous monster that feasted on human flesh on New Year’s Day. Because the beast feared the color red, loud noises and fire, people put up red paper dragons on their doors, burned red lanterns all night and set off firecrackers to frighten and chase away the monster.

Lunar New Year ushers in the Year of the Snake on Wednesday, with events and feasts happening around D.C. over the next two-plus weeks. Pro tip: Many events are free, especially around the Smithsonian,

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is a traditional Asian celebration that has been observed in for thousands of years. Every winter, Asian communities around the world ring in the Lunar New Year with carnivals, food, family gatherings, parades and more.

BBC weather presenter Sabrina Lee explains what Lunar New Year is and why many people around the world will be celebrating it. Each year takes its name from one of 12 Zodiac animals, with the Year of the Snake beginning on Wednesday.

Celebrated across Asia and beyond, it marks the start of a new year based on the cycles of the moon rather than the Gregorian calendar, when the majority of the United States and