Ushering in the Lunar New Year: Traditions, Taboos, and the Year of the Horse
As the Lunar New Year approaches, a time of fresh beginnings and hopeful anticipation, it’s natural to reflect on traditions that usher in good fortune. Much like the fanfare of Western New Year’s Eve, the Lunar New Year is steeped in a rich tapestry of myths, superstitions, and age-old customs. In 2026, we’ll be welcoming the dynamic Year of the Horse, and to ensure we start this auspicious period on the right foot, it’s worth understanding the activities to embrace and, perhaps more importantly, those to avoid.
The Auspicious Art of Hair: Why You Shouldn’t Get a Haircut
One of the most commonly observed taboos during the Lunar New Year period is the avoidance of haircuts. If you’ve pencilled in a salon appointment for the first week of the new year, you might want to consider rescheduling. In many Chinese dialects, the word for “hair” (发 / fa) sounds remarkably similar to the word for “prosperity” (fa cai). Therefore, cutting one’s hair is symbolically interpreted as severing one’s wealth or good fortune.
The duration of this superstition can vary significantly depending on regional customs. Some traditions extend this taboo to the first few days of the New Year, while others observe it for the entire first 15 days, or even for the whole first lunar month. In some deeply held beliefs, cutting hair is thought to bring harm to the luck of family members or to diminish ancestral blessings.
Washing Away Luck? The Don’ts of Personal Hygiene
Similar to some Western New Year’s Eve traditions, the act of washing one’s hair or showering during the initial days of the Lunar New Year is often avoided. The rationale behind this is the fear of “washing away” one’s luck or prosperity. In certain traditions, the early days of the New Year are particularly significant and are linked to water deities. Consequently, washing is deliberately avoided as a gesture of respect towards these celestial beings.
Household Chores and the Flow of Fortune
Don’t Take Out the Rubbish (or Sweep!): Put down those cleaning supplies for a moment. Cleaning your home before the Lunar New Year is often seen as a way to sweep away any lingering bad luck from the previous year. However, engaging in cleaning activities after midnight on New Year’s Eve, or in the initial days, can be interpreted as sweeping away the fresh luck and prosperity that has just arrived. It’s best to save your cleaning tasks for Lunar New Year Day itself.
Don’t Wash Clothes: In a similar vein to avoiding general cleaning, laundry should also be postponed for a day or two. Washing clothes during this period is considered by some to be disrespectful to the water gods.
Colour Cues and Culinary Customs
Don’t Wear Black or White: When selecting your attire for Lunar New Year’s Day, steer clear of black and white. These colours are traditionally associated with mourning and are therefore considered inauspicious. Instead, embrace the vibrant and celebratory spirit by opting for the colour red, which is universally recognised as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.
Don’t Eat Porridge or Meat for Breakfast: Your usual bacon and egg roll might need to wait for another day. On Lunar New Year’s Day, it’s traditional to opt for a vegetarian breakfast. Porridge is often associated with those who are less fortunate, and consuming it on the first day of the year is believed to be a bad omen for one’s financial future and overall prosperity. Furthermore, out of respect for Buddhist deities, meat is often avoided as the first meal of the day. Instead, consider indulging in “lucky foods” such as fish, sweet rice balls, and longevity noodles, all of which symbolise abundance and a long, prosperous life.
Family Visits and Fortunes: A Married Woman’s Tradition
For married women, there’s a specific tradition to be mindful of regarding family visits. It is traditionally believed that a married woman visiting her parents’ house on Lunar New Year’s Day can inadvertently bring bad luck and economic hardship to her husband’s family. To avoid this potential jinx, it’s customary to save such visits for the following day.
Navigating these traditions allows individuals to honour cultural heritage while setting a positive and auspicious tone for the year ahead. By being mindful of these customs, celebrants can embrace the spirit of renewal and usher in the Year of the Horse with hope, joy, and a healthy dose of good fortune.
