- What is Lunar New Year and why is it celebrated?
- When is Lunar New Year?
- Lunar New Year vs Chinese New Year
- Animals & zodiac cycle
- How it’s celebrated globally
- How it’s celebrated in Australia
- Cultural diversity
- How SBS covers Lunar New Year
What is Lunar New Year and why is it celebrated?
Lunar New Year marks the start of a new year in lunar-based calendars and is celebrated across many East and Southeast Asian communities. It’s observed in different ways and may be known as Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) and Tết Nguyên Đán (Vietnamese New Year).
It’s a time for family reunions, honouring ancestors, sharing symbolic foods, and exchanging wishes for good fortune—welcoming spring and a fresh beginning.
Find out more about Lunar New Year and how it's celebrated in Australia
When is Lunar New Year?
In 2026, Lunar New Year falls on Tuesday, 17 February. Many celebrations begin on the evening of 16 February (New Year’s Eve). Traditionally, festivities run for about 15 days and culminate in the Lantern Festival, though the length of public holidays varies by country and region.
In Korea, Seollal is typically observed over a shorter period of around three days, focusing on ancestral rites, family gatherings, and traditional customs such as bowing to elders (sebae) and eating tteokguk (rice cake soup)
Lunar New Year vs Chinese New Year
Lunar New Year has deep roots in Chinese culture. Over time, as people and traditions travelled and mixed, different communities developed their own Lunar New Year rituals and ways of celebrating. In multicultural Australia, “Lunar New Year” is often used as an inclusive umbrella term, while “Chinese New Year” is more specific to Chinese traditions—and SBS notes there’s ongoing debate about which term is most appropriate.
Animals & zodiac cycle
The zodiac turns an ancient astronomy-based way of counting time, linked to Jupiter’s cycle—into an easy-to-remember set of animal symbols.
Long ago, many Asian peoples, including in India and among Turkic communities, used animals to help name and remember years. According to historical records, the familiar 12-animal cycle—Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Chicken, Dog and Pig—became standard in China during AD 25–220 (the Eastern Han period).
Even today in many parts of Asia, terms like “the Year of the Dragon” are common in everyday language. Zodiac animals can also differ between communities. For example, many Vietnamese celebrate the Cat, while others mark the Rabbit.
In Korea, the zodiac is often remembered through a combination of colours and elements linked to the traditional sexagenary cycle. As a result, 2026 is known as the Year of the Red Horse.
How it's celebrated globally
Beyond China, Korea and Vietnam, many parts of Asia, including Thailand (Bangkok’s Yaowarat), Malaysia and Indonesia (Imlek), hold Lunar New Year celebrations.
In major cities such as New York and San Francisco, and in London, Lunar New Year parades and festivals have also become a winter highlight promoted to locals and visitors alike.
Celebrations vary by country, but they often share common themes: togetherness, family meals, visiting relatives and friends, exchanging gifts or monetary blessings (such as red packets in some cultures), and showing respect to elders and ancestors—welcoming health and good fortune for the year ahead.
How it’s celebrated in Australia
From the gold-rush era of the 1850s, Lunar New Year traditions in Australia have evolved—from early Chinese influences to a celebration shaped by diverse Asian communities.
Today, cities light up with lanterns, a range of cultural performances (including lion and dragon dances), night markets and community festivals, alongside family reunions and shared meals at home.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described celebrations in places like Box Hill as a joyful expression of multicultural Australia, wishing communities health, family and prosperity.
Cultural diversity
For Lunar New Year, SBS brings together more language teams—from Tibetan and Khmer to Nepali, Filipino, Indonesian, Mongolian, Thai, Japanese, Hmong and Malay—to contribute stories that showcase distinct cultural traditions.
These cross-language collaborations are designed to highlight diverse voices and show how Lunar New Year traditions “move, connect, and belong” across communities in Australia.
How SBS covers Lunar New Year
SBS brings Lunar New Year coverage together via an English hub that curates stories, podcasts, community events, and explainers—then connects out to SBS Food recipes and related programming. The hub also points audiences to Lunar New Year content across the SBS Network (including multilingual coverage) and highlights SBS On Demand collections, making it a “one-stop” entry point for seasonal coverage.