The Lunar New Year commences on January 29, coinciding with the first new moon of 2025, which will be in Aquarius, a sign of progress and evolution. The celebration lasts until February 12, during the Lantern Festival and the full moon in Leo. The Lantern Festival (Shangyuan Festival and Cap Go Meh) is a moving affair that aims to release emotional upsets from the previous year and bring in fresh energy. Reconciliations are made, love is found, and gratitude is in the air.
The new year is met with family reunion dinners, fireworks, gifted red envelopes with money in them (known as “hóngbāo” in Chinese and “bao lì xì” in Vietnamese), and parades. The Lunar New Year pays tribute to an animal from the Chinese zodiac, a 12-year cycle that determines a person’s sign. This year, the snake takes center stage. The snake is resilient and perseveres through setbacks. It is funny and diligent—as well as cunning and occasionally self-serving. Next year, the horse will have its moment of glory starting on February 17, 2026, bringing popularity and independence.
The snake is the sixth of the 12 signs. According to legend, the order of the animals in the Chinese zodiac was based on a competition amongst them which was held at a river. The order of the winners became the cycle of the animals. The snake hitched a ride on the hoof of the horse, who was originally coming in sixth place, and jumped off it at the end of the race, stealing its win. Therefore, the horse became the seventh sign. Morally speaking, snakes can have loose scruples and act strategically to get their way.
That said, the snake brings wisdom, healing, and transformation our way, regenerating itself to be bolder and more assertive. As the snake sheds its skin, it lets go of the past and transcends into a more powerful being. The same can be said for our emotions. Releasing old views and transcending them to embrace new beliefs will be easy once we let go of the desire to be in control. Only then will we be free from former situations and able to live as we please. Since the reptile slithers by the grace of intuition, we can conclude that our feelings and senses will lead us towards decision-making in the upcoming year. Learning to trust our impulses will be challenging, but we shouldn’t second-guess our hunches.
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