The Year of the Horse Is Fast Approaching – Here Is What You Need To Know
by Sydney Preston
@Sydney_17
If you pay close enough attention, you’ll realize that the Earth is trying to tell us something. With each season that passes, we see the signs of what nature wants us to do. In the winter, we are meant to rest, rejuvenate and slow down. When the elements of spring begin to infiltrate the dreary snow, we start to come alive just as the Earth does; a slow blossoming, a rebirth. Summer is full speed ahead, soaking up sun and feeling the benefits of grass underfoot. In the autumn, we begin the process of letting go. Releasing all that we have gained that no longer serves us, preparing ourselves to be rooted down like the trees, prepping for the cold.
So, why is it that in the middle of winter we try to hit the ground running with New Year's resolutions. Filling ourselves with promises of rebirth and a new self while we should be resting. Maybe, we should be taking a note from the Lunar New Year instead.
The Lunar New Year is also referred to as the Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival. Most widely celebrated in Asia, this holiday follows the Lunisolar Chinese calendar marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring.
Every year the dates of when the Lunar New Year lands changes. The fifteen-day celebration is completely determined by the moon. New Year’s will fall somewhere between January 21st and February 20th depending on the moon cycle. It falls on a New Moon and the celebrations last until the next Full Moon. In 2026 the New Year will fall on February 17th. Here is everything that you will need to know about this time of year.
The Chinese New Year celebrates new beginnings focusing on warding off evil, reuniting with family and creating a clean slate for the year to come. There is a plethora of traditions that happen pre the New Year and during the celebrations in order to set yourself up for a good year.
One of the biggest traditions occurs before New Year’s Eve. A deep clean of your environment is said to remove any and all negative energy from past years because you are “sweeping away bad luck.” Cutting your hair before the New Year is also encouraged to shed negative energy, welcoming a rebirth.
During the celebrations you will see an abundance of red via clothing and decorations in order to ward off evil. Red is believed to scare off evil spirits so, the festivals are adorned with red lanterns, paper cut outs and red clothing. These festivals will also be accompanied by fireworks and firecrackers; the loud explosives are supposed to intimidate demons, keeping them at bay.
If you feel as though the person you were at the beginning of 2025 is vastly different from who you are in the beginning of 2026, you are not alone.
On New Year’s Eve, reuniting with family is vital. Families will travel great distances in order to connect with one another during this time to strengthen familial bonds. During this time there will be a reunion dinner meant to bring abundance, wealth and prosperity to the family.
The Chinese New Year, however, doesn't just signify a changing of seasons leading into the new year, it also escorts the new leading animal and element that represents the year to come. There is a twelve-year zodiac animal cycle and a five-year zodiac element cycle.
There is the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Every year the animal is also accompanied by one of the five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Each one signifies something different; the two zodiacs combine to create a prophecy for the year to come.
We have been in the Year of the Wood Snake since January 29th 2025 and will be in this year until February 16th 2026. A Wood year in the Chinese zodiac represents adaptability and growth, using the year to focus on long-term goals. A Snake year symbolizes transformation, shedding, mystery and wisdom. Over the last year you may have experienced loss as you have outgrown who you were and started transforming into who you will become. There will not be another Wood Snake until 2085.
If you feel as though the person you were at the beginning of 2025 is vastly different from who you are in the beginning of 2026, you are not alone. Transformation is never easy and usually terrifying as you dive into the unknown but it is necessary to step into the version of yourself that will take you where you are destined to go. It prepares you for what is next and the next is the Year of the Fire Horse.
Starting February 17th, 2026, and running until February 5th 2027 is the Year of the Fire Horse, which will usher in a year of passion and intensity. Fire is bold, charismatic, and a natural leader. A Horse Year is full of high energy, speed, freedom, and hard work. Together they suit each other, creating an unstoppable determination that drives to a brilliant new chapter. Be cautious of this year, though; a Fire Horse can be impulsive and become impatient if they do not get their way.
The Year of the Wood Snake has prepared us to let go of the things that no longer serve us so the Year of the Fire Horse can run freely without that additional weight.
A beautifully complex time of year is fast approaching, leading us into a new chapter and potentially new traditions. The Chinese New Year allows a time to cleanse yourself and slowly enter the New Year as nature slowly awakens. Sweeping all that drains you away with the winter and ushering in a fiery year along with the spring.
We are still in the Year of the Wood Snake, so don’t fight the transformations when they happen. Change is scary and I know that I am tired of the seemingly constant evolutions but take this time to reevaluate where you are, how you got here and where you want to go next.
As the New Year begins to creep closer, allow yourself the opportunity to take part in the ancient practices of the Chinese New Year. Do your spring cleaning, call your family and take time to recenter yourself because the Year of the Fire Horse is going to be a wild year of action and passion.
