Year of the Fire Horse

Lunar New Year: Spring Festival

Tuesday February 17 – Wednesday March 03

Year of the Fire Horse

 

Lunar New Year, Chinese Chunjie, Vietnamese Tet, Korean Seollal, Tibetan Losar, also called Spring Festival, is typically celebrated in Asian countries and begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 or 16 days later. The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, so the dates of the holiday vary slightly from year to year, beginning sometime between January 21 and February 20 according to Western calendars.

Approximately 10 days before the beginning of the new lunar year, houses are thoroughly cleaned to remove any bad luck that might be lingering inside, a custom called “sweeping of the grounds.” Traditionally, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are reserved for family celebrations, including religious ceremonies honoring ancestors. Also on New Year’s Day, family members receive red envelopes (lai see) containing small amounts of money. Dances and fireworks are prevalent throughout the holidays, culminating in the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated on the last day of the New Year’s celebrations. On this night colorful lanterns light up the houses, and traditional foods such as yuanxiao (sticky rice balls that symbolize family unity), fagao (prosperity cake), and yusheng (raw fish and vegetable salad) are served.

The origins of the Lunar New Year festival are thousands of years old and are steeped in legends. One legend is that of Nian, a hideous beast believed to feast on human flesh on New Year’s Day. Because Nian feared the color red, loud noises, and fire, red paper decorations were pasted to doors, lanterns were burned all night, and firecrackers were lit to frighten the beast away.

2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse: The 2026 Year of the Fire Horse (starting Feb 17) represents a rare, 60-year cycle bringing intense energy, passion, and rapid transformation. It symbolizes a time for bold, independent action, breaking from traditions, and high-stakes, ambitious pursuits. However, this high-energy year also poses risks of impulsiveness, volatility, and burnout. 

 

Korean New Years Greeting: Haengbokan Saehae Doeseyo (행복한 새해 되세요) which translates to “Have a Happy New Year!”

 

 

Key Aspects of the 2026 Fire Horse Year:

• The Symbolism: The Horse represents speed, strength, and freedom, while Fire amplifies these with passion and innovation.
• Energy and Trends: The year is expected to be fast-paced, pushing for significant breakthroughs, social change, and technological advancement.
• Challenges:

 The intense, fiery energy can lead to unpredictability, conflict, and a need for careful, strategic planning to manage volatility

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• Industry Impact: Industries related to fire—such as technology, AI, and digital services—are predicted to thrive.
• Individual Focus: It is a time for taking risks, pursuing major life changes, and practicing self-care to manage heightened emotional and physical stress. 

Cultural Significance
This is the first Fire Horse year since 1966. The “Red Horse” (赤馬) is seen as a powerful, albeit tumultuous, time, often associated with a desire for independence and a reevaluation of societal norms.