2026-02Feb-16
Year of the Fire Horse
Lunar New Year celebrations kick off tomorrow, ushering in the Year of the Fire Horse in the Chinese zodiac. The 15-day festivities, observed by billions worldwide, start with the new moon and end with the Lantern Festival. China anticipates a record 9.5 billion trips during the 40-day travel rush around the holiday, the world’s largest annual human migration.
The horse is the seventh animal in the 12-year zodiac cycle and symbolizes energy, independence, and ambition. Those born in horse years are seen as dynamic, courageous, and charismatic. Many see the Year of the Fire Horse as a time to take bold steps, embrace change, and pursue new opportunities. The last Fire Horse year occurred in 1966; notable births include Adam Sandler, Gordon Ramsay, Halle Berry, and Helena Bonham Carter. See your zodiac animal here.
Traditions focus on family and fortune (see our overview), including gifting lai see or hóngbāo to children—red envelopes filled with “lucky money.” See a guide to the holiday, closely associated with the Spring Festival and Chinese New Year, here.
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We can all use some “lucky money”!
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Reinke Faces Life 