02/17/2026
The Lunar New Year starts today, February 17, and ushers in the Year of the Horse! More specifically, it’s the year of the Fire Horse, which only happens every 60 years! 🔥🐴
The Chinese calendar, which underpins the Lunar New Year, is a lunisolar calendar based on astronomical observations of the Sun’s position in the sky, and also the Moon’s phases. The Chinese lunisolar calendar shares some similarities with the Hebrew calendar, which is also lunisolar, and has influenced other East Asian calendars, such as those of Korea and Vietnam.
Because the Chinese calendar defines the lunar month containing the winter solstice as the 11th month, the Lunar New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. This means that the first day of the Lunar New Year can occur anytime between January 21 and February 20.
(Note: Due to the difference in time zones, the new Moon may technically occur one calendar day earlier or later in the United States)
As with many winter solstice celebrations, the symbolic darkness of night is banished by the light of fireworks, lanterns, and candles. Man-made paper lanterns are hung by the hundreds in public areas, bringing good luck to the new year.
See what the Year of the Horse means for YOU and your zodiac sign at Almanac.com/content/chinese-new-year-chinese-zodiac
