Lunar New Year
When is the Lunar New Year?
The Lunar New Year is based on a calendar that uses both the lunar and solar cycles to determine its dates.
This means the date for the Lunar New Year changes each Gregorian year, based on the cycle of the moon.
For 2025, January 29 will mark the beginning of Lunar New Year.
Celebrations will continue until February 12, when the full moon appears.
What are the zodiac animals?
The zodiac is an imaginary belt around our solar system that contains twelve constellations.
It's often represented by a circular diagram and contains symbols of animals associated with each of the constellations.
Lighting decorations in the shape of the Chinese zodiac animals hang above a road in Singapore.(Reuters: Loriene Perera)
The story goes that the placement of the animals in the zodiac was decided by a race organised by the Jade Emperor (a representation of the primordial god in Chinese folk religion).
Twelve animals participated: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
The race's course crossed a huge river, which each animal had to traverse to reach the finish line.
The rat used its cunning to persuade the ox to give it a ride across the water.
Once on the other side, it leapt from the ox and made a dash for the finish line.
That's how it secured the first place in the zodiac cycle, while the ox took second.
Vietnamese culture differs slightly, honouring a buffalo instead of an ox and a cat instead of a rabbit.
Each year in the lunar calendar is assigned a zodiac animal, which also becomes the animal of those born that year.
You can find out which animal you are below.
| Zodiac Sign | Years |
|---|---|
| Rat | …1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032… |
| Ox / Buffalo | … 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033… |
| Tiger | …1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034… |
| Rabbit / Cat | … 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035 … |
| Dragon | … 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036 … |
| Snake | … 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037 … |
| Horse | … 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038 … |
| Sheep / Goat | … 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039 … |
| Monkey | … 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040 … |
| Rooster | … 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041 … |
| Dog | … 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042 … |
| Pig | … 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043 … |
Each zodiac animal has its own set of defined traits and characteristics, and people born in their years are said to possess the same qualities.
Some people choose to adhere to superstitions by following forecasts for their zodiac animal in order to ensure a positive trajectory for the coming year.
We wish all our families celebrating a wonderful time- and share this special time with their family and friends!
Jenny Willmott - Deputy Principal