Chinese New Year is just around the corner, this Saturday, 28th January is the first day of the Spring Festival among the Chinese families.
In order to prepare for Chinese New Year celebration, it is compulsory for every household to spring cleaning the home, to welcome good luck and prosperity.
Some people would prepare one month in advance but most of us would start cleaning up the household between one or two weeks before Chinese New Year.
Here are the things to do :
# Sweeping and Cleaning
It is compulsory to sweep the floors , clean the bathrooms, bedrooms, get rid off old stuff, broken things and torn clothes to welcome the New Year.
According to the Chinese tradition, nobody is allowed to sweep the floor or use your hand to sweep off crumbs from the table or floor because this indicate that you are “sweeping away the good luck” of the home.
Hence, brooms and mops are kept away from sight. Leaving the crumbs and dust on the floors are common practice.
Spring cleaning the house indicates to clear off all the unfortunate events, bad luck before welcoming the New Year.
Curtains, bedsheets are changed, new clothes, including undergarments and shoes are bought.
Most people prefer bright and striking colors such as RED, ORANGE and YELLOW. Nobody wears black or white during Chinese New Year. These colors are for funerals!
Hence, it is wise to pay all the debts, resolve any arguments or quarrels with friends or family members and to finish off your project or homework.
# Oranges
Oranges or tangarines are one of the important elements during Chinese New Year.
You may noticed that when friends and relatives pay a visit to the head of the house, a pair of oranges are held in both hands, given to the bread winner of the house or the oldest person in the house.
Oranges and tangarines symbolized “gold ingots” because they are orange in color. In addition, these fruits sounded similar to good luck, happiness and abundance of prosperity.
It is wise to return another set of oranges to the visitors which means “to bring luck to you too”.
It is impolite to take the oranges without giving back.
Give and take is the motto.
# Prayer to ancestors
On the eve of Chinese New Year, most people would offer prayers at the Chinese temples to seek for good fortune, best of health and prosperity.
Most people would offer incense ( joss sticks ) and food or fruits to the dieties to please them.
At home, Chinese folks would prepare a table of prayer outside the car porch, to offer prayers and food to the Gods , after midnight.
Everyone in the household had to offer incense and say a little prayer to respect the Gods.
However, you may hear fire works and fire crackers lighten up to welcome the New Year at 12am sharp.
It is a tradition for children young and old to stay up late past midnight in order to “extend the lives of their parents or grandparents”.
Only toddlers and babies are allowed to sleep early.
My kids and I usually sleep at 3am in the morning, watching variety shows or movies online.
# Ang Pow or Red Packets
Red packets are also known as “Hong Bao” in Chinese, “Ang Pow” in Hokkien dialects and “Lai See” in cantonese.
It is a rectangular rd packet made from paper, filled with money to symbolize good luck and to ward off evil spirits.
The money in the red packets is usually in even numbers such as 6,8, 10, 20 .
The smallest number is 2.
Red packets are given to children and single adults by married couples , parents or grandparents.
Hence, working parents had to exchange an amount of money at the bank counter to receive “New Crisp Notes” and Free Red packets.
Had been busy with the spring cleaning these few days.
Hope you will have a nice day too
Written by peachpurple
Photo by peachpurple
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Thanks for sharing the info about Chinese New Year traditions. You seem to know a lot. Are you Chinese (or have it in your background) or were you just exposed to a lot of the culture? My husband has a Chinese uncle but the most he knows about the Chinese culture is how to eat the food! :)
It was really fascinating to a different culture of the people in China. They have different ways on how to celebrate their festivities. For the month of February, the Chinese local will celebrate Spring Festival. It is the best venue for them to get together and be with their family and relatives.The typical practice in this event is to give lucky money to children. Most of them prepare dumplings and other traditional food.