The date of chinese new year changes every year

I am often asked why Chinese New Year is celebrated on a different date each year. In fact, Chinese New Year (one of the most important holidays for Chinese-speakers) is always celebrated on 1st January, but it is based on the lunar calendar (which is set by lunar phases and formerly based on agricultural cycles). In business, residents of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan have followed the Gregorian calendar (52 weeks) since 1949, but the traditional Chinese/lunar calendar still applies for traditional holidays.