Lunar New Year

​Chinese New Year

Text source: twinkl.co.uk

By Kathleen Prete

​What is Chinese New Year?

​

Chinese New Year is a celebration of the lunar New Year or the change of the Chinese calendar. It is also called Spring Festival and Lunar New Year and many of the traditions relate to the welcoming in of spring.

Multiple Select

What are the other names given to Chinese New Year?

(Select 2)

• Spring Festival

• Summer Festival

• Winter Festival

• Solar New Year

• Lunar New Year

​It is celebrated by millions of people every year and has become a popular annual event, not just for Chinese people, but for people of many races and cultures. Communities all over the world have their own parades and dragon dances to mark the turn of the New Year. Many of these take place in Chinatowns - the Chinese cultural centre of many Western cities.

Multiple Choice

The Chinese New Year is celebrated exclusively in China

• True

• False

​Very large events take place in Vancouver, New York and San Francisco each year. In countries with high Chinese populations, such as Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, national holidays occur at this time of year, often for a period of three days.

Multiple Select

Which of these countries have a high Chinese population?

• Singapore

• Poland

• Malaysia

• Congo

​Unlike the western calendar, the Chinese calendar is a lunar one (the year's beginning and end are worked out according to the movements of the moon). This means that Chinese New Year can fall anytime between the 21st January and 20th February each year.

Open Ended

Why is Chinese New Year not in the same day each year?

​Chinese New Year is unlike the western New Year in another way. While New Year for most nations is a one evening/one day affair, Chinese New Year is a Fifteen day celebration.

Multiple Choice

How many days does the Chinese New Year last?

• 10

• 1

• 15

• 3

​Fun fact

​

Did you know that Liverpool is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe?

Multiple Choice

Guess!

On the 2nd of February 2022, what Chinese year will begin?