- - Lunar New Year 2026: Here is how people ring in the Year of the Fire Horse

CNN staffFebruary 18, 2026 at 4:04 AM

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Chinese dancers dressed in traditional style clothing perform a Yingge dance during Lunar New Year celebrations at the Dongyue Taoist Temple in Beijing, on February 17, 2026. - Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

As the Year of the Horse galloped in, revelers ushered in the most prominent festival on the Chinese Lunar calendar with some quirks – from Kung Fu robots to Harry Potter’s teenage nemesis – and some reflection.

Here’s is a roundup of CNN’s coverage:

1. Chinese zodiac predictions: What’s in store for 2026 as we enter the Year of the Fire Horse

If there’s one common theme to emerge from the many Lunar New Year rituals attached to the annual celebration, it’s the collective hope that we’re ushering in luck, prosperity and good vibes for ourselves and everyone around us. We’ve done the cosmic legwork for you, rounding up this year’s Chinese zodiac fortune guide with the help of some seasoned feng shui masters.

2. A 2026 guide as we gallop into the Year of the Horse

Why is it called the Year of the Horse? Why is everyone dressed in red? What are you supposed to do during this auspicious holiday? Read our guide.

3. What will the Year of the Horse be like for these familiar faces?

A feng shui master gives his reading on the fortunes of celebrities Timothée Chalamete and Margot Robbie, US President Donald Trump and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. (Full disclosure: we are doing this just for fun).

4. Rules to follow for a prosperous Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year celebrations can prompt superstitious actions. Should you sweep your apartment? Or, cut your hair on holiday days? And why are there long lines outside banks in places where it is is feverishly celebrated. Watch this to find out.

5. Kung Fu robots perform at Spring Festival Gala

While humanoids are far from taking over the world, they certainly stole the show by busting performing some kung fu moves during China’s most-watched Lunar New Year programme.

6. A Harry Potter villain is now an unlikely new-year mascot in China

In preparation for the festival, people in China also put up posters of well-wishing messages. But some of this year’s decorations were accompanied by the smirk of Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter’s privileged teen nemesis in J.K. Rowling’s wildly successful book series. Here’s why?

7. Sad Year of the Horse toy goes viral in China

A red plush horse became an instant sensation in China, despite a sewing mistake that turned its smiling mouth downward. Many find the toy’s sad expression relatable, saying it mirrors the life of a “corporate slave.”

8. Why the Adidas ‘Chinese New Year’ jacket has gone viral

Sporting a design that resembles a piece of historic Chinese garment, this jacket by sportswear brand Adidas has become a holy grail among Gen Z — and emblematic of young people’s growing embrace of all things China.

9. This holiday is the world’s biggest homecoming. But how do you celebrate in the midst of grief?

While a celebratory mood spreads across the country, survivors of a deadly fire in Hong Kong are still grieving with little to celebrate, like this man who lost his wife in the blaze.

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