Common Customs of Chinese New Year that Should be Followed
It is a sure thing that all of us would be packed up with a long to-do list and tasks at home before the Chinese New Year begins. People observe some common customs of Chinese New Year just a week before the festival to the fifteenth day after. Most of us would be busy at our households with setting and enjoying dinner with friends and family, eating dumplings, and setting off fireworks.
Knowing how to prepare for Chinese New Year at home is vital as there are a few must-do customs at every family. When preparing for the Chinese New Year, there are several traditional items and necessities that people typically buy.
Listed below is a new year list of Chinese New Year customs and rituals you might be looking forward to doing.
Cleaning and Arranging Homes
Cleaning is one of the long-observed common customs of Chinese New Year followed by every family. Anybody who follows Chinese tradition cannot even think to begin the season without cleaning every nook and corner of their homes. Today you have the convenience of getting a professional cleaning service provider for a year-end cleaning at your space to sweep the bad luck away and welcome the coming year with all the freshness.
Shopping for the New Year
People get excited to purchase new items for themselves and others when the Chinese New Year season arrives, mostly after completing the cleaning. Chinese people symbolises the buying of new things as getting ready for new beginnings and welcoming new experiences.
Paste the Chinese Character “Fu”
Chinese people believe that the character “Fu” brings good fortune and happiness to the family. It expresses the yearnings the future holds and wishes that are dear to people. Therefore, people who follow the Chinese customs paste it on walls, gates, or even furniture and desks at their homes and workspaces. People paste it upside down in the belief that it will bring happiness and good fortune to the family. This character was written by hand earlier, but most people use prints nowadays.
Pasting Window Paper Cuts
The handicraft of paper cuts carries the good wishes of everyone - this is a Chinese belief. People cut auspicious patterns and words on red paper - the paper cut of the Chinese alphabet “Fu” is the most common among them.
Setting off Firecrackers
Setting off firecrackers is common during midnight. People also set them off during the morning on the first day of New Year. It is normally done after the reunion dinner with family and friends, and it creates a cheer mood for everyone.
Sending Greeting Cards
People write words of their blessing on greeting cards for the new year and send them to parents, friends, and relatives. They are very much similar to the Christmas cards in western countries. With the commencement of technology, the forms of cards have changed, but the tradition of sending cards remains - both with digital cards and paper cards.
Eating Glutinous Rice Balls
People prepare traditional glutinous rice balls during the Chinese New Year. It is made of sticky rice flour and has different kinds of fillings; some rice balls do not have fillings. Its round shape symbolises reunion and happiness of the family.
Temple Fairs
Temple fair is one of the oldest practices of Chinese New Year customs. It was a form of worship connected with temples when formed and have taken the form of carnivals now. Temple fairs sometimes take place at parks, and we can see so many traditional cultural performances like diabolo play, puppet shows, and more there. It is also a chance for us to buy small commodities from sellers at a small price.
Spring Clean Your Home Before Chinese New Year
Clean your house before the lunar new year celebration begins. Book cleaning/deep cleaning services on the Sendhelper app or website to secure your slot today!
