A Shared Astronomical Moment
Lunar New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, placing it between January 21 and February 20. While all celebrations share this astronomical basis, each culture has developed distinct traditions, foods, and meanings around the event.
Korean Seollal (설날)
- Duration: 3 days (day before, day of, day after)
- Key practices: Ancestral rites (차례), deep bows to elders (세배), rice cake soup (떡국), family gatherings, traditional dress (한복)
- Significance: Receiving 세배돈 (New Year money) as gifts from elders; belief that eating 떡국 makes you one year older
- Games: 윷놀이 (yut), 연날리기 (kite flying)
Chinese Spring Festival (春節, Chūnjié)
- Duration: 15 days, ending with the Lantern Festival
- Key practices: Red envelopes (红包, hóngbāo), firecrackers, dragon dances, lion dances, family reunion dinner on New Year's Eve
- Foods by region: Dumplings (北方/north), nian gao sticky rice cake, fish (鱼 = surplus)
- Travel: The world's largest annual human migration (春运) as people return home
Vietnamese Tết Nguyên Đán
- Duration: 7–9 days officially; celebrations last weeks
- Key practices: Ancestral altars, lucky money (lì xì), peach blossom (north) or apricot blossom (south) decorations
- Foods: Bánh chưng (square sticky rice cake in north), bánh tét (cylindrical, in south)
- First visitor: The first person to enter a home on New Year's Day (xông đất) is thought to determine the family's luck for the year
Other Celebrations
- Mongolian Tsagaan Sar (Цагаан сар): "White Month" — dairy products, horse racing, wrestling
- Tibetan Losar: New year celebrated 2–4 weeks after Chinese New Year
- Japanese Oshōgatsu (お正月): Now on January 1 (Gregorian), but retains many traditional lunar observances in form
Common Themes
Despite cultural differences, Lunar New Year celebrations share universal themes: cleaning the house to sweep out bad luck, gathering with family, honoring ancestors, eating symbolic foods, wearing new clothes, and exchanging wishes and gifts. The new moon represents renewal — a cosmic reset shared across civilizations.