This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive.

The Top 9 Chinese New Year's Superstitions

The superstitions dictate the frenzy I and likely many others within the Chinese community are going through right now until New Year's Eve. My list has been amusing and bemusing anyone outside of the Chinese culture, as in the case of my hubby. Here are the top 9 Chinese New Year superstitions of 2013.
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

Happy Lunar New Year, readers!!

This article was originally published in 2013. For 2019, the Lunar New Year occurs on Feb. 5, and it is the year of the Earth Pig.

Here are a few more recent pieces for your celebrations:

It's hard to believe, but two years ago I noted that Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve was fast approaching on Wednesday February 2, 2011. It's happening again this year, and just as fast-approaching. The time of uncertainty and opportunities associated with the Year of the Dragon should come to an end, and I should feel a state of calm and reflectiveness come over me as the Year of the Water Snake kicks off on Sunday February 10, 2013.

Well, once again, I'm anxiously tackling items on my "Prep for Chinese New Year" checklist just as I did two years ago, all the while having the same angst over traditions so steeped in superstitions passed on by my ancestors.

The superstitions dictate the frenzy I and likely many others within the Chinese community are going through right now until New Year's Eve. My list has been amusing and bemusing anyone outside of the Chinese culture, as in the case of my hubby. He finds it hard to believe that this CBC (Canadian-Born Chinese), raised in Toronto, could be tied to so many "silly" superstitions despite all that hi-tech!

Here are the top 9 Chinese New Year superstitions ...

Blog continues below slideshow...

Sweep Kitchen Floor and Wash Kitchen Floor

Top 9 Chinese New Year Superstitions

* Sweep Kitchen Floor and Wash Kitchen Floor

I had noted in my daytimer to sweep and wash the kitchen floor by February 1. It would be bad luck if I did it on February 2, 2011 Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve! I'd be sweeping out the good luck from home! Likewise for dumping the dirty water. Fast forward to 2013, that deadline will be Friday February 8th. Guess what I'll be doing on Friday night after my food tour!

* Garbage/Recycle Day Taboos

Two years ago, we lived in a house that had alternating garbage collection and recycle day on Thursdays. In 2011 the Chinese New Year's Day fell on a Thursday Garbage Collection Day! Aye-Yah! You should have seen my hubby's look of sheer amazement (or horror?) as I pointed out that on January 20, 2011 we needed to pitch whatever needs to go into the garbage collection, and that on February 3rd, 2011 we must keep any garbage in the house! Guess what we did on Thursday January 27 when it was recycle day? By the way, we've moved since then into a condo that has a fabulous recycling program. Question this morning from my beloved hubby: "When's the last day to toss out anything?" My answer, "Friday February 8th, honey!"

* Hair Cut Appointment before Chinese New Year's Eve

This subject is always a huge bone of contention as one ponders when is the ultimate last day you can slot your hair cut appointment into a packed agenda, as it's considered bad luck to have it done too close to Chinese New Year. You'll sever your good luck! Yes, there are chances of accidents, where you get snipped and not your hair! Keeping all this in mind, I set my hair appointment with my amazing stylist, Guy Krouse at Salon Vivace for last Thursday so I'd be ready for the Chinese New Year's prep tours and of course, the two banquets: Chinese New Year's Eve 11-course banquet on February 9 and the inaugural Lantern Festival 9-course banquet on February 23.

* No Showering on Chinese New Year's Eve

It's bad luck to wash your hair and have a shower! If you're active and go to the gym, this one can be a challenge as nobody wants to go to school or work stinking like a skunk! Apparently, in the good old days, most Chinese villages lacked plumbing, whereas in Toronto, we have great plumbing! Try telling your mom this one.

Anyway, I and other Chinese friends just go to the gym and not inform mom about showering after that vigorous gym class! The other solution: not go to the gym just prior to New Year's Eve and be stressed out from skipping your workout! Hubby could barely contain his laughter when I informed him about this superstition and the angst behind it.

* Get Chef Knives Sharpened Before Chinese New Year's Eve

Two years ago, I called before dropping off my chef's knife at Nella Cucina. They promised that I'll get it back within a week, before it's Chinese New Year's Eve! Whew! Fast forward to 2013, I find myself too busy to drop off any knives, so I'm planning on sharpening them myself on Friday February 8 (before it's New Year's Eve). Superstition: knives sever good luck, so you'd want to sharpen before it's the new year and retain good luck in the new year! Aye-Yah!

* Bad Luck to Start with Broken Crockery

I must pitch any broken dishes, cups, plates and any other crockery as it's considered to be "bad luck" to start a new year with broken stuff. After my Sunday tour, I'll replace a few chipped cups while picking up Green Chopsticks for my banquets. Aye-Yah! So much to do, and so little time!

* Replace Dead Houseplants with Fresh, Live Plants!

It's inauspicious having dead plants as you're carrying over the bad luck from one year to the next! So I better swing by one of those Chinatown shops on this Friday after my tour and replace one of the bamboo shoots in my planter to ensure a lucky Year of the Water Snake! Agghhh!

* Settling Debts in order to Start New Year with a Clean Slate

It's funny how Chinese New Year follows right after the holiday season of gift spending, as it make settling debts a tad challenging... Sigh, it got to be done, otherwise you hear your ancestors murmuring about the bad luck for the new year!

* Exchange Old Bills for Crisp New Bills at the Bank

Bank tellers in Toronto's second Chinatown banks (Spadina Ave/Dundas St W) or other areas wouldn't blink an eye when an Asian patron request for crisp new $5, $10 and $20 bills. It's considered good luck having crisp new bills in the pair of Lie See (Lucky Money) you hand out to little kids and any unmarried adult siblings. I must also buy more of those red/gold envelopes. Sigh!

Before it's "Curtains Up" for the Chinese Lunar New Year festival, here are a few more other items I'll try to tackle to ensure more even luck in the Year of the Water Snake...

* Buy 3 Kumquats (fruits) with green twigs & tie with red string/ribbon for good luck!

* Buy a box of Lucky Pastries from Chinese bakery (re-fills of wallet-shaped pastries, fire cracker-shaped cookies; smiling face cookies)

* Buy more bags of Lucky Candies for the food tours, Chinese New Year's Eve banquet (Feb 9) and inaugural Lantern Festival banquet (Feb 23)

* Pick-up 3 Sesame Balls from Kim Moon Bakery

* Find golden platter to place fruits, candies & Lie See as decoration on table in lobby for guests!

Happy New Year!

Gung Hey Fatt Choy in Cantonese or

Gong Xi Fa Cai in Mandarin or

Chuc Mung Nam Mui in Vietnamese!

Close
This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.