Set Off Fireworks
©Bryan Thompson
The more fireworks or firecrackers you set off the better. Not only do you light up the night sky with a symphony of color, but the loud banging sounds are thought to scare off evil spirits. In many parts of China, you'll hear a constant, nightly barrage of loud bangs during the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year celebration, which is known as the Spring Festival - even though it happens in the middle of winter. Some people are so enthused they'll even set them off during the day.
Eat Dumplings
Eating dumplings around the holidays is a popular tradition in northern China and there are three reasons for it.
A) They're delicious.
B) The Chinese word for them, "jiao zi," is similar to the ancient word for new replacing the old.
C) The shape of a Chinese-style dumpling resembles the pieces of gold that were used as money in ancient times. A plate full of dumplings looks like a big pile of gold, symbolizing wealth in the coming year.
Clean Your Home, But Before Midnight
Sweep, mop, scrub, dust, vacuum, steam - do anything and everything to make sure your home is spick and span BEFORE the stroke of midnight on Lunar New Year’s Eve. Cleaning of any kind on the first day is strictly forbidden. You cleaned your home to rid it of any bad luck before the New Year - now you want to be sure not to wipe, sweep or wash away any of the good luck that arrived at the stroke of midnight. Don't even wash the dishes. It's also advised to settle debts ahead of the New Year, credit card bills included.
Red Is The Colour
Everyone, including children and babies, should be dressed in brand new and bright colors clothes to celebrate the new year. You should put some home decoration in red, too. Red is a favorite colour of choice, because it symbolizes luck and prosperity. Above all, avoid white or black clothing, since these are the traditional colours of mourning.
Don’t Wash Or Cut Your Hair
©Rabeea Yeung
Leave your hair as it is in the first month of the New Year. The Chinese character for hair is the same first character in the word for prosper. This means washing or cutting it off is seen as washing your fortune away and dramatically reduces the chances of prosperity in the year ahead. Actually, Lunar New year fundamentalists will tell you taking a shower is also off-limits on the first day for the same reason. Dry shampoo and dusting powder will come in handy.
Watch Your Tongue
Remind the children not to quarrel during Chinese New Year and to avoid mentioning topics like ghosts and death in their conversations. Other words that are a strict no-no are the number four (which sounds like the word for “death” in Mandarin and dialects) and any kind of vulgar language. Moreover, do not bargain when shopping. Children should say some wishes to adults before receiving red envelopes.
Avoid Breaking Objects
In some Asian countries, breaking objects such as bowls, plates, and cups is often associated with bad luck. In China, the character “Sui” means year, which is pronounced the same as the word “break.” Thus, when Chinese people accidentally break things during the celebration of Lunar New Year, as a remedy, they’ll say “Sui Sui Ping An,” which means “Safe and sound every year.”