Yes, there are quite a number of customary rules, taboos, and superstitions in Chinese culture, especially during the Chinese New Year. Ask the elderlies, and they will tell you that Chinese New Year is the most auspicious day of the lunar calendar; they will follow the tradition to the tee. There's a Chinese saying that goes "宁可信其有 不可信其无", meaning it is better to believe than not.

Here are some of the Chinese New Year customary practices to share with you. Some that we have heard since childhood and some that could be new to you!

Before The First Day Of Chinese New Year. 

• All your debts must be paid back before the Chinese New Year.
• Spring cleaning must be done from the top to the bottom to sweep away the bad luck.
• All colour black and white must be kept away as they signify death and misfortune.

Significances of Reunion Dinner On Chinese New Year Eve

As this is the last meal of the year, every family member must sit down together and enjoy the meal. Ancestor worship is a religious practise that deceased family members have a continued existence, that the spirits of deceased ancestors will look after the family. Normally, those who practise ancestor worship will prepare food and invite the ancestors to join in the reunion dinner.

• Preparation of the food as a whole, for example, whole fish and whole chicken. 
• Placing of the fish head. The fish head must place towards distinguished guests or elders representing respect. Before consuming the fish, you must say these words "年年有余" - "Every year to be filled with abundance!"
• Keep some leftover dishes for the following day. 
• It is common to stay up late at night. There is a believed that the later you stay awake, the longer your parents will live. This practice is known as 守岁.
• It is also common for the elderly to give red packets after the reunion dinner. Red is the colour that is believed to be able to protect them from evil spirits or ancestor spirit. The children will then put the red packet under the pillow for protection. This CNY custom is known as 压岁钱.

Chinese New Year Day Taboos

During Chinese New Year day, there are even more traditions, rules and taboos to follow.

• No cutting or washing your hair on the first and second day. In Mandarin, 'hair' (fa, 发) sounds like 'wealth' (fa cai, 发财), so it is believed that cutting or washing your hair during the festivities would also be cutting or washing away your fortune and all the prosperity that the celebration brings.
• Sorry, no negativity strict policy. Words with negative meanings should be avoided in daily conversation, such as breaking, running out, death, ghost, killing, sickness, pain, loss, and poverty.
• If you can, avoid medicine or go to a doctor on the first day, that will be best. Otherwise, one may suffer from illnesses all year round. But, if you are feeling unwell, please do not observe this tradition!
• Do not break anything, because taboo warns that it may result in money loss and broken family ties. If it really happens, the glass should be collected and wrapped in a red cloth while saying: "sui sui ping an" (岁岁平安) to expel any bad luck. Keep the red cloth aside and only throw on the fifth day.
• Do not wash your cloth on the first two days of Chinese New Year as these two days are considered the birthday of the Water God, and washing of clothes might just offend him!
• No sweeping and dumping on the first day of Chinese New Year as it symbolises the sweeping away of your good luck and valuables. If you need to, sweep from outside in, keeping the valuables 'in', or vacuum instead!
• Try to avoid disciplining the children especially on the first day. There are also sayings that believe childrens' cry forebodes misfortunes. After all, it is a day to celebrate, why not take it easy and enjoy the festivities?
• If a woman recently got married and it is the first CNY she lives apart from her parents, she is advised against visiting her own parents on the first day of the Chinese New Year. Traditional beliefs indicate that it could bring bad luck to both her parents and her brothers (who stay with the parents) and they would be stricken by poverty.
• No sharp object should be used on the first day. Scissor and needle is an omen of the possible quarrel with others. Sharp objects, in general, are taken as items that may cut your stream of wealth and success.
• Do not take an afternoon nap else you will be lazy the whole year long. (Psst! This one's new to us too!)
• Do not take porridge; otherwise, you won't get rich because porridge are linked to poor people and livelihood in the past.
• Do not eat meat during the morning breakfast because in respect of the vegetarian gods who arrive on Chinese New Year morning.
• Do not wake people up, otherwise, that person who is jolted up from his or her sleep will need to be pushed all year long! Now here's a good one to tell your family before you get some shut-eye and you can then sleep with peace of mind during the Chinese New Year holiday!
• Make sure your rice barrel is full. As the belief goes, if it gets empty, there may be some days of starvation ahead in the near future.
• Last but not least, have mandarin oranges around your house. Having it and giving them out in pairs is said to bring wealth into your life! 

And there you have it, things to do and not to do celebrating the Lunar New Year! Are you familiar with all these Chinese New Year taboos and superstitions?

All in all, what is most important is to cherish this tradition as a wonderful time for families to get together! WADD wishes all our readers GONG XI FA CAI! Stay safe this Chinese New Year, peeps!