Today, January 29th, marks the first day of the Lunar New Year 2025, also known as Chinese New Year. Bidding farewell to the Year of the Dragon, we are now ushering in the Year of the Snake in a cultural event celebrated by over 1.5 billion people annually, for up to 15 days. Here, we share everything you need to know about Lunar New Year, and the Year of the Snake.
Lunar New Year is the most important event on the Chinese cultural calendar, and is celebrated by most Asian countries as well as those with large Asian communities. Also known in China as the Spring Festival, this year it spans January 29th 2025 to February 15th 2026, when Year of the Horse will begin. It is guided by the lunisolar Chinese calendar, meaning the date changes every year.
Each new year is characterised by a different zodiac animal, of which there are 12 — similar to the Western zodiac, except the latter changes every month. This year is the Year of the Snake (or the Wood Snake, specifically), known as a resilient and wise animal in the Chinese zodiac. Each person has a zodiac animal that corresponds with the year they were born. This year, that’s people born in 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, and 2013.
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The Snake, in Chinese culture, symbolises wisdom, intuition and mystery. It is also associated with charm, elegance, and transformation. People born in the Year of the Snake are thought to be mysterious, charismatic, intuitive, calm, strategic, positive, wise, determined, intelligent, goal-oriented, responsible and graceful.
Ways to mark the occasion vary across different cultures, but in Chinese culture it’s very common for elders to give younger family members money in lucky red envelopes, and red lanterns and decorations are usually put up. Spring cleaning to step into the new year clean and fresh is widespread the day before celebrations begin, however it’s taboo to sweep or clean on the first day of Lunar New Year.
In New Zealand, there are country-wide celebrations to ring in the occasion. In Auckland, the annual Auckland Lantern Festival is occurring this year from the 13th — 16th of February. Presented by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited on behalf of Auckland Council, the festival boasts four days of festivities, with delicious food stalls and stage performances, plenty of family-friendly activities, an outdoor cinema screen, and of course many beautiful lanterns on display (over 500, to be exact). This year, the event is free-ticketed (for capacity management purposes), so be sure to book your free tickets online. There’s also free transport to and from the festival for all ticket holders.
In the city — on Federal Street, SkyCity will be hosting a range of festivities, including night market food stalls running from now until February 1st between 3—9pm, and special menus and dishes at many of the precinct’s most loved eateries.
For thoughtful gifts, a host of brands have curated or released special collections celebrating the Year of the Snake — from Tiffany & Co. to Gucci to Bulgari and more. Shop the collections here.
