The Chinese word for “book” (shū) sounds exactly the same as the word for “lose” – so buying a book right after ringing in the New Year is considered an invitation for bad luck. This year, Chinese New Year begins on Wednesday, January 29. Those who celebrate will be entering the year of the snake. Just like with any holiday, traditions abound for Chinese New Year. Some of Do not shower, sweep or throw out garbage on New Year’s Day: you don’t want to “wash out” or” throw away” good luck. Chinese people believe that, as the Spring Festival is the start of a new year, what you do then will affect your luck in the coming year. There are many Chinese New Year traditions about dos and don'ts. Find out the top 18 things you should not do. Some are taboos on the first day of the Chinese New Year and some are superstitions for the Taking naps, especially on the first day of the Chinese New Year, represents laziness. In Chinese culture, taking naps on the first day of the new year will affect your luck and career for the rest of the year. 9. Avoid breaking things in your home Don’t Wash Your Hair or Clothes on New Year’s Day. Washing is thought to wash away wealth and blessings. Postpone laundry and hair-washing until after the first day. By following these traditions and avoiding the taboos, you can usher in a year full of prosperity, happiness, and good luck. Wishing you a joyous and auspicious Chinese New How to observe Lunar New Year in three easy steps: Do not shower, sweep or throw out garbage on New Year’s Day: you don’t want to “wash out” or” throw away” good luck. However, before the holiday it’s highly recommended to de-clutter, clean thoroughly and make your home beautiful and festive for the new year. Okay, so that step If you must, make sure to start at the outer edge of a room and sweep inwards. Bag up any garbage and throw it away after the fifth day. Similarly, you shouldn’t take a shower on Chinese New Year’s Day. 4. Do not use scissors, knives or other sharp objects. There are two reasons behind this rule. Chinese New Year is the most important cultural holiday in the lunar calendar, so you can expect there to be a tonne of preparations leading up to the big event. On the first day of Chinese New Year, however, no one is allowed to clean their house anymore as that is a sign of sweeping away the household’s fortune for the new year. [This article was originally written by Carly Wu in 2019 and updated in 2025 by Elaine Wong.] On New Year’s Eve - Pomelo leaf shower one should return money and goods owed before the New Year to ensure good fortune in the new year. The third day of the Chinese New Year is Superstitions surrounding New Year’s Day are as varied as the cultures that uphold them. Many people view the start of the year as a symbolic reset, and acts performed on this day are thought to influence the months ahead. In Chinese culture, showering or bathing on New Year’s Day, particularly during the Lunar New Year, is often avoided. Pre-Chinese New Year Preparations and Activities (Jan. 7–Feb. 12, 2025) Jan. 7, 2025: Laba Festival. Some Chinese start to celebrate and prepare for Chinese New Year as early as day 8 of the 12 th month of the lunar calendar. Since the mid-1990s people in China have been given seven consecutive days off work during the Chinese New Year. Can you shower during Chinese New Year? Yes, that’s right, one does not simply wash their hair or take a shower on the day of Chinese New Year as cleaning yourself on the day is seen as washing away good fortune. Though a thorough Here’s a fun list of dos and don’ts so you can enjoy the Year of the Ox in the proper manner. first day of the New Year. The Chinese character for hair is the same first character in the Herein,can you wash your hair the day before chinese new year? Hair must not be washed on Chinese New Year’s Day. In Mandarin, hair (发, fa) has the same pronunciation (and indeed is the same character) as fa in facai (发财), which means ‘to become wealthy’. Chinese New Year's Eve (Jan. 28, 2025): 6 Traditions and Activities - 除夕. As the last day of the lunar year, Chinese New Year's Eve (除夕 chú xī) is the day before Chinese New Year. It is a grand reunion time for the whole Chinese family. It is not bad luck to not celebrate New Year. Celebrating or not celebrating is a personal choice, and there are no specific consequences or superstitions associated with not participating in New Year’s festivities. Feel free to celebrate or not, and you are allowed to change your mind from year to year as well. Can You Shower on Lunar New Year? Style Very Superstitious: The Do’s and Don’ts of Chinese New Year Justin Wong on January 26, 2017 . Every culture has their own superstitions: Americans believe it’s bad luck if you cross paths with a black cat, Japanese avoid taking pictures in groups of three because it brings misfortune — even death — upon the individual in the middle, and Greeks throw salt over their left 6. Do stay up as late as you can on New Years Eve. Encouraged amongst children of any age, it is popular in the Chinese culture to stay up as close to or past midnight on the eve of Chinese New Year – and no, the reason is not due to having a public holiday on the following day. Some of those Chinese New Year taboos will only sustain for first few days of the festival, while others may be kept till the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, or even for a whole month. Hereunder are 16 things you should never do during the Chinese New Year.
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