CNY superstitions

[geraldc]

Chinese New Year is a pretty superstitious time for my family. As we're originally from Hong Kong we generally stick to:

Mustn't clean the house on New Years day.

Can't wash or cut hair today.

Shouldn't eat meat today (well for one meal at least).

Buy flowers/pot plants for the house.

My family regard themselves as still fairly rational, as we don't do the washing with pomelo leaves as some people still do

I know they generally tell people the more normal traditions about wearing red and the hong bao etc, but do they ever teach you the stranger ones?

[buanryoh]

I thought traditionally new years was a time to clean one's house in order to get rid of all the bad spirits?

Maybe i have just remembered wrongly!

Marc

[phunkyphred]

i think that you're supposed to clean your house in the days prior to CNY, but not on CNY itself.. because you want to clean out all the old bad luck/spirits and have a clean house.

Then the fireworks + offering to keep the old spirits away.

so on new years, you have a clean slate and it will be easier for good luck to come to you.

but, i am new to all this so perhaps i'm wrong!

(i just wanted to join the discussion! : )

[got_no_jaffas]

if you eat chicken feet, you will run faster for the coming year & your marathon personal best times will fall.

i can categorically say this doesn't work!

[Koneko]

No sweeping!

But my family always do!

K.