The Chinese Lunar New Year starts on January 29, 2025, and begins the "Year of the Snake."

The celebration lasts 15 days and ends with the Lantern Festival on February 12, 2025. The Year of the Snake will continue until February 16, 2026.

People celebrate the Lunar New Year in different ways in different countries, like Tết in Vietnam, Losar in Tibet, and Solnal in Korea.

How to Find Your Chinese Zodiac Animal:

Your Chinese zodiac animal is usually based on your birth year, but it also depends on when Chinese New Year falls. If you were born in January or February, your zodiac animal might be different from the one for your regular year.

For example, if you were born on January 30, 1976, your animal is the Rabbit, but if you were born on January 31, 1976, your animal is the Dragon.

Year of the Snake: 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025

Year of the Horse: 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014

Year of the Goat: 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015

Year of the Monkey: 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016

Year of the Rooster: 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017

Year of the Dog: 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018

Year of the Pig: 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019

Year of the Rat: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020

Year of the Ox: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021

Year of the Tiger: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022

Year of the Rabbit: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023

Year of the Dragon: 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024

Every zodiac year is also linked with one of five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, or water—which creates a unique 60-year cycle. For example, 2025 will be the "Year of the Wood Snake," which was last seen in 1965.

What Comes Next in the Chinese Zodiac?

Here are the upcoming zodiac animals:

- 2026: Year of the Horse

- 2027: Year of the Goat

- 2028: Year of the Monkey

- 2029: Year of the Rooster

- 2030: Year of the Dog

- 2031: Year of the Pig

- 2032: Year of the Rat

- 2033: Year of the Ox

- 2034: Year of the Tiger

- 2035: Year of the Rabbit (or Cat)

- 2036: Year of the Dragon

Jupiter's Role in the Chinese Zodiac

The Chinese zodiac is closely linked to the moon, but also has a connection to Jupiter. Jupiter’s 12-year orbit around the sun is almost the same as the zodiac cycle. In 2025, for example, Jupiter will spend most of the year in the constellation Taurus, symbolically linked to the Year of the Snake.

Wishing you a wonderful Lunar New Year with good fortune and happiness!