The real meaning of CNY

The Lunar New Year is an occasion steeped in tradition ¡­ but how many of us today (including the older Chinese folks) really know about these ancient customs? Well, here is a foolproof checklist to pave the way for a successful year ahead and to ensure that no blunders are committed during this auspicious period!

Before the Lunar New Year
DO give your home a good spring-cleaning. Clear away the clutter and mess to welcome in new Chi for the New Year.

DO decorate your home with auspicious symbols such as the red couplets. These couplets contain poetic phrases announcing good wishes and blessings.

DO get your haircut and new clothes, preferably in red, for a brand new you when the New Year arrives!

DON'T start the year laden with debts! Pay up all your bills and begin with a clean slate.

On the eve of Chinese New Year
DO have a family reunion. A big, delicious dinner creates good luck for the family throughout the year. It also keeps the family close together.

DO open all your windows and doors at the stroke of midnight to allow the old year to leave and the New Year to enter. DO celebrate with lots of noise and merry-making!

DON'T go lending money to people on the eve as anyone who do so will find themselves lending money all year round.

DON'T use foul language or unlucky words like ¡®sei¡¯ (this means four in Cantonese), which phonetically sounds like death too! Telling ghost stories or stories about death and dying are totally taboo. Instead talk about your future plans and dreams for the coming year.

On The 1st Day of Chinese New Year
DO start the New Year with new, bright-coloured clothes, especially auspicious red! One¡¯s appearance and attitude today is believed to set the tone for the rest of the year.

DO keep all doors and windows open throughout the day to allow the new luck to fill your home. Keep every part of your home well lit to ensure maximum luck!

DO ensure your first taste is something sweet so that the year will bring your much good news.

DO exchange red ang pows marked with auspicious symbols.

DO greet everyone with kind words and happy wishes.

DON'T sweep the floor or use scissors or get your hair cut! This signifies sweeping away your good fortune.

On The 2nd Day
DO visit your in-laws. It is customary for the son in-law to give the father in-law a present. This invokes the luck of previous generations for the married couple.

DO be kind to every dog you meet on this day, as today is the birthday of every dog.

DON'T forget to pay respects to your elders and ancestors.

On The 3rd Day
DO go to bed early as today is reserved for the marriage of the rat; therefore, keep the day quiet as a sign of respect for this auspicious occasion for the rat.

DON'T eat pork for it is believed to be unlucky.

On The 4th Day
DO stay home to welcome the arrival of the Kitchen God and pray for his blessings.

DON'T eat lamb or goat meat for it will be unlucky to do so.

On The 5th Day
DO consult the Almanac for an auspicious time and the direction of the God of Wealth. The head of the house should stay home to invite the Wealth God in.

DO bring out your Wealth Vase and orientate it as such so that the Wealth God inside faces the correct direction.

DON'T visit anyone or it could bring both parties bad luck.

On The 6th Day
DO visit your relatives and friends today as it is considered lucky to do so. Bring some mandarin oranges or ¡®kum¡¯ along. It is auspicious to do your visiting from the sixth to the tenth day.

On The 7th Day
Today is said to be the day mankind was created and is called ¡®Everyone¡¯s Birthday¡¯. DO celebrate it with the customary ¡®low sang¡¯. Everyone should participate in tossing the raw fish salad. This indicates success in everything that you do. Make sure you serve a dish of noodles with seven types of vegetables for abundance of food and good health. Long noodles eaten on this day denotes longevity.

On The 8th Day
The Hokkiens will offer prayers come midnight to the God of Heaven or ¡®Ti Kong¡¯. It is said that a sunny day will hold a profitable year but a rainy day could mean possible loss. If your family is Hokkien, DO have another family reunion, as it is customary to eat dinner together.

On The 9th Day
DO make offerings to the Jade Emperor on his birthday. Remember that the Lady of Nine Heavens ¨C the originator of Feng Shui ¨C is his wide and thus, will show favour to those who honour him.

From The 10th to 13th Day
DO visit the rest of your relatives and friends.

DON'T use utensils made of ceramic or stone on the tenth day, as it will bring a lot of discord and disharmony in the year ahead.

On The 14th Day
DO clean and tidy your home in preparation for the Lantern festival on the Following day. Ensure that you have ample supply of mandarin oranges for the Chap Goh Meh celebrations.

On The 15th Day
On the last day of the New Year celebrations, the Chinese celebrates their version of Valentine¡¯s Day called Chap Goh Meh. Single women head to the sea or river to throw mandarin oranges with the hope of finding a good husband. Today is also the birthday of the God of Heaven, therefore no alcohol is allowed and people should instead use this time to pray and meditate.