The Chinese civilization stretches back several thousands of years and all that time, people have been celebrating the Lunar New Year together. Therefore, over the many centuries, various beliefs, taboos and practices have sprung up around the Lunar New Year festival.

Some families hold on strongly to these traditional practices, while others are more liberal and modern, preferring to move on with the times. However, some core practices are still popular and practiced by young and old alike.

If you are unfamiliar with Chinese customs during the New Year celebrations, here is a basic guide on the do’s and don’ts, especially when going visiting:

Don’ts:

1. Don’t wear black clothing, especially on the first day as black is associated with mourning and therefore considered to bring bad luck.

2. No sweeping the house on the first day of New Year’s because this is believed to sweep away all the good fortune from the house.

3. The use of knives, scissors, needles and other sharp objects is forbidden as it may deplete your wealth for the rest of the year and encourage misfortunes to happen.

4. No lending or borrowing of money is allowed as some believe that you will be in debt for the rest of the year if you do.

5. The first meal of Chinese New Year, which is usually breakfast on the first day, must not be porridge as this is a sign of poverty. The first meal must be sumptuous and grand to usher in more wealth for the rest of the year.

6. Don’t give out ‘Ang Pau’ in white packets as they are akin to wishing death on someone. This is because white packets of money are usually given during funerals as a sign of sympathy to the deceased’s family.

7. Avoid displaying and saying the number ‘four’ in Chinese as it sounds like the word for ‘death’.

8. Don’t wash your hair on the first day as it would mean washing out your personal luck for the rest of the year.

Dos:

1. Do wear red as it is the colour of prosperity in Chinese culture. You should also fill your house with red and gold coloured decorations to usher in positive energy.

2. Do give out red packets or ‘ang pao’ filled with crisp, new notes, if you are married.

3. When visiting friends or relatives, bring them some mandarin oranges as gifts and as a way to wish them wealth for the rest of the year. This belief comes from the colour of the oranges that look like gold.

4. Do light up some firecrackers as this is thought to scare away demons and bad luck.

5. Do eat some auspicious dishes like black fungus (fa cai), prawns, peanuts, noodles and dumplings as this will increase your luck and longevity.

Of course, this list is meant as a recommendation and if you can’t follow all of them, it’s still fine as CNY is all about having fun and spending time with your family.