Lunar New Year 2026 The Year of the Horse

Visit KidsAcademy.com to learn and play thousands of fun activities with Eddie the Elephant. Did you know there's a special new year that follows the moon? It's called Lunar New Year. This incredible celebration is a deeply rooted tradition in many East Asian cultures, especially in China, Vietnam, and Korea. For thousands of years, families have used the lunar calendar to mark the arrival of spring, making it one of the oldest and most beloved festivals in the world. One of the coolest things about the Lunar New Year is that it is governed by a cycle of 12 special animals. Each year a different animal takes the lead. But how did these 12 get picked? Well, legend says it all started with a great race across a wide river. The first 12 animals to reach the finish line won a permanent spot in the calendar, and we've been celebrating them in that same order ever since. Just like every big festival, Lunar New Year has its own special traditions that everyone looks forward to. First, families give their homes a deep clean to sweep away any old bad luck from the past year. Then they decorate everything in bright, bold red. In this culture, red is a lucky color that symbolizes joy and is even said to keep bad spirits away. The highlight of the celebration is the big family feast. It's a time for everyone to come together and eat foods that are like edible wishes for the new year. They serve whole fish. They also eat dumplings because they look like silver and gold coins, and sticky rice cakes called nian gao, which represent growing taller and reaching higher goals every year. Kids really love this tradition. Grown-ups give them special red envelopes. Inside, there's lucky money to wish them a healthy and happy year ahead. The celebration then moves outside for incredible street parades. This is where you'll see the famous dragon and lion dances. These aren't just for show. The loud beating of the drums, the clashing of cymbals, and the energetic dancing are all part of a tradition to scare away bad luck and bring a giant wave of good fortune to the whole neighborhood. Lunar New Year is all about joy, family, and fresh starts. We wish you a very happy one. That's how you say happy new year.