Second day of Lunar New Year

The Second Day of Lunar New Year, known in Cantonese as the second day of the Chinese New Year, is an important public holiday in Hong Kong. In 2026, it falls on Wednesday, 18 February, following the first day of Lunar New Year on 17 February. The holiday forms part of the traditional New Year period, a festival shaped by centuries of Chinese customs concerning family unity, ancestral respect, good fortune, and the renewal of household and community life.

In Cantonese tradition, the second day is often associated with “opening the year,” or kai nin (開年), when families formally begin the new year after the more solemn first-day observances. It is also widely known as the day when married daughters return to their parents’ homes with their husbands and children, a practice called hui niang jia (回娘家). In modern Hong Kong, this custom has become more flexible, but visiting both sides of the family remains a significant expression of kinship and respect. The day also reflects Hong Kong’s distinctive blend of traditional Chinese beliefs, urban public celebrations, temple worship, and contemporary leisure activities.

Families commonly spend the Second Day of Lunar New Year making visits to relatives and close friends, exchanging auspicious greetings, lai see (red packets), seasonal gifts, and New Year snacks. Hosts may serve tea, candied fruits, melon seeds, roasted meats, turnip cake, radish cake, glutinous rice cake, dumplings, and other foods associated with prosperity and abundance. Popular Cantonese greetings include “Kung Hei Fat Choy” (恭喜發財), meaning “Wishing you prosperity,” and “Sun Nin Fai Lok” (新年快樂), meaning “Happy New Year.” Visitors traditionally avoid arguments, negative language, and unlucky actions, as the entire New Year period is believed to influence the fortunes of the coming year.

The day is also associated with temple visits and prayers for health, success, and financial prosperity. Many Hong Kong families visit places such as Wong Tai Sin Temple or other local temples, although the busiest periods can vary by year. The Hong Kong Jockey Club traditionally stages a major Chinese New Year race meeting around this holiday period, making horse racing a prominent modern Hong Kong activity. Public festivities may also include lion dances, cultural performances, shopping promotions, family outings, and, when scheduled by the authorities, large-scale Lunar New Year fireworks over Victoria Harbour. While customs differ among households, the central themes remain reunion, generosity, respect for elders, and welcoming good fortune into the new year.