A special way for people to express good wishes to each other and an important Chinese New Year tradition is to visit relatives. Generally speaking, people drop in at relatives and friends' houses, bringing gifts or red envelopes, and greeting one another with 'Happy New 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 whole New Year Festival season (from the 1st to 15th of the Lunar New Year). 1. Avoid taking medicine. Chinese New Year is a celebration marked by age-old traditions and customs. Similar to many other religious holidays, this auspicious occasion comes with a set of do’s and don’ts, each grounded in cultural beliefs aimed at ensuring a prosperous and harmonious year ahead. Here are some you can take note of this festive season: 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. This is a festival called Laba ( 腊八 Làbā /laa-baa/ '12th lunar month' + '8'), in the traditional sense, which As the most significant and oldest festival in China, Chinese New Year, aka Spring Festival, is associated with many traditions and customs. Some of these traditions are dying out, so people feel that the festival becomes less interesting and conventional. Well, let’s discover the 10 vanishing Chinese New Year traditions you may not know. DON’Ts: WHat you shouldn’t do during Chinese New year. DON’T start any arguments or bring up any negative topics. No profanities or swearing on Chinese New Year’s eve and day. DON’T cry on Chinese new year. Try to avoid sad memories! DON’T clean on the day of Chinese New Year, as you may sweep your luck and good fortunes away! Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. Chinese New Year 2025 will fall on Wednesday, January 29th. The date changes every year but is always somewhere in the period from January 21st to February 20th. 13. Watching the CCTV New Year’s Gala. On the eve of Chinese New Year, millions of people across China and beyond tune in to watch the CCTV New Year’s Gala. This televised variety show features a wide array of performances, including music, dance, comedy, acrobatics, and more. Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner Nianyefan, is a Heartwarming Tradition Unlisted author. , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons As the old year makes way for the new, families come together on the eve of the New Year to partake in a joyous and sumptuous feast, forging precious memories that will last a lifetime. Chinese New Year also welcomes a new animal from the Chinese zodiac. a repeating 12-year cycle where each year represented by an animal and its attributes.” The year, 2021 was “the Year of the Ox, and Chinese astrologers believe 2021 will be a stable year as the ox is dependable and diligent. 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. In Labor Advisory No. 1, series of 2025, DOLE Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said Jan. 29, which is observed as Chinese New Year, has been declared a special non-working holiday under Presidential Proclamation 727 by President Marcos. Gifting during Chinese New Year is rooted in wishing each other a prosperous year ahead. Giving gifts to families during Chinese New Year house visits is customary, symbolising the desire for a blessed year. Gifts, such as mandarin oranges, hong bao, and other useful items, are the most common and show respect and love towards the recipients. 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. Since the mid-1990s people in China have been given seven consecutive days off work during the Chinese New Year. This week of relaxation has been designated Spring Festival, a term that is sometimes used to refer to the Chinese New Year in general. The origins of the Chinese New Year are steeped in legend. One legend is that thousands of years Prevent bad luck or jinxing yourself during Lunar New Year by not uttering words with negative connotations. Examples include death, sick, empty, poor, and kill. Sweeping. Sweeping and cleaning should only take place before the Lunar New Year. Sweeping during the New Year could sweep out the good luck that may have collected in your household. For anyone who has felt awkward at Chinese New Year, here’s a simple guide to navigating the social minefield of red envelopes – condensed into eight simple rules. 1. You give out red envelopes if you’re married. Don’t commit the classic faux-pas of handing out one red envelope from the two of you. Both spouses give a red envelope each. 2. In the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the Year of the Snake. What are some special foods for the new year? Each culture has its own list of special foods during the new year, including dumplings Chinese Zodiac Chinese zodiac years begin and end at Chinese New Year, which falls either in January or February. Each year is represented by a zodiac animal, and 2025 is a very special one—the year of the wooden snake. The festivities start on January 29, 2025, and continue until the Lantern Festival on February 12, 2025. For individuals who were born in the same year as this Chinese calendar year's Chinese zodiac animal (2025 is the the Year of the Snake), incorporating the color red into daily fashion is common for weeks, months, or even for the whole year!
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