Lunar New Year, often called the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, is the most important holiday in China and many other Asian communities. Every year is marked by a different animal and 2025 is the Year of the Snake.

This year, Lunar New Year begins today, Wednesday, Jan. 29, and ends Feb. 12. Lunar New Year, also widely regarded as Chinese New Year since the late 19th century when it gained global recognition through Chinese immigrant communities, is a centuries-old tradition rooted in the lunar calendar.

The Lunar New Year is the most important holiday in China and many other Asian countries. Celebrations will last until mid-February.

The Lunar New Year begins Jan. 29 in the Year of the Wood Snake. Here's everything you need you need to know about your Chinese zodiac sign.

The Lunar New Year kicks off on Jan. 29, 2025. Here's what to know about the year of the Wood Snake, from the personality traits to the various Snake elements, according to Chinese metaphysics consultant Vicki Iskandar.

Today marks the beginning of the Chinese “year of the snake.” The lunar calendar is different from the Gregorian in that it is primarily a “moon cycle” calendar rather than solar, which is what we Westerners follow.

Many Chinese who work in bigger cities return home during the eight-day national holiday in what is described as the world's biggest annual movement of humanity.