sorry I should have posted this early but it's still only the second day of the new years I'm a CBC and my family isn't supersitious, so my parents never really taught me in depth the traditinos of new years I just know eat a big meal before new years day, with at least 8 dishes where you have to eat from each dish and make sure there are lots of left overs and lots of lai-see from all the married people to the unmarried people I know your not suppose to clean house on new years day to avoid cleaning away the good luck and to wear new clothes to promote incoming wealth in the new year so while hanging with friends and stuff this weekend, i learned that each day is suppose to have more specifics to like i dind't know that on the first day you are suppose to eat "jai" veggitarian, and they were joking about eating birthday cakes on the 7th i got confused can someone explain what the different traditions for the different days are?
Day 1: The beginning, marking the start of spring. Families must offer food and such to ancestors and if possible (which is not in HK), celebrate with fireworks. Often people will dress in new clothes and share meal with family -- the breakfast MUST not have meat -- since it signifies that the entire year one would not eat meat (which somehow is a sign of dedication) Either have family gatherings for red pockets (in fact, one has to wish the relative good luck before getting the wishes -- in form of red pockets -- back) Every gathering will last until late at night past midnight so that the year is COMPLETELY started. OR, go around the city in the farthest place and back, the farther one goes, the better luck one will have the coming year. ONE SHALL NOT: sweep the floor, take out garbage -- it will dispel the good luck; kill (for food, thus no meat for today), use knives and scissors -- the killing will again, dispel the good luck; if one breaks anything, one has to say something good such as "lok dei hai fa" or "su su ping on" and so on, otherwise it will be bad luck. Day 2: Offer to the God of fortune (for money) and the God of Earth. Most married women will bring their husband back to THEIR family. It's the night for firework show in HK! Day 3: The day for the Angry Dog -- prone to arguments. People will stay home and keep to themselves. Day 4: 2 rituals today -- sending the God home (from last day) in the early early morning and welcoming the God late in the evening. Day 5: Last day of holiday, better prepare to go back to work. It is also the day to clean up ALL the remaining festive food, eat it or dump it out, long as you don't keep it at home til Day 6! Day 6: The first day back to work. Many employer will give red pocket to employees for good fortune. Day 7: Day of the people -- it is believed that Goddess Nu Huo (who later mended the heavenly skies) created men from clay today, thus it's the day for everyone's birthday! Day 13: People will start prepare those sweet dessert balls in soup for the festivities on Day 15. Day 14: People will start making lanterns and other crafts for the festivities on Day 15. Day 15: After this day, it is okay to open the red pockets (anytime before is bound for bad luck!) and the night of Day 15 often warrant grand festivities with puzzles and lanterns, and of course, those sweet dessert balls in soup! And it also mark the official last day of New Year! Hope it helps -- most of the details are from my personal experience, but the general idea's there.
Day 0 = day before CNY. My family tradition to gathers together and have dinner together. Like many who do countdown on New Year day, we do count down to invite the god of fortune to our home. You see many chinese home lighted up especially bright that night. Day 1 = Official Chinese New Year day. Lots of pantang (supertitious). No cursing, no sweeping the floor. Be nice to everyone, old or young. A day that parents go broke giving out lai see (red packet) with smile on their face. ;-) Many also take the opportunity to eat vegetarian. not the green stuffs but high quality vegetarian dish like vegetarian goose (chai siew ngor), budist delight, tofukey (tofu turkey), etc. Day 2 = Offering to god. Fortune and Luck. People slaughter chickens and pray their ancestors. Day 3 = Not a good day to go out to visit friends and family. People usually stay at home watching TV, play mahjong, gamble.. make big money... Day 7 = Everybody Birthday. Many family will low ye sang. Some eat longevity noodles. Day 9 = The official Hokienese Chinese New Year. The name it "pai tin koong". Day 13 = People eat sweet desert ball (tang yen). Day 15 = aka Chap Go Mei. Officially the last day of Chinese New Year... ending with a bang.. lots of food.
Just to clarify the meat part. Only people who are Buddhists will abstain from meat on those specified days, otherwise you can eat meat.
In my family, it is tradition to open the new year on the 2nd day of new years, before the opening day, no one is allow to visit.
Day 10: Five Golden Rings.... -lol I dunno.. can't be bothered to learn all of it now.. maybe when ya have kids then you can learn n teach them..
rn't u ABC? lol well i had 3 dinners already and the one yesterday had was not suppose to have meat? only vege stuff? im like WTF..i hate temples and those vegetarian foood
This is good info. I just know reunion dinner on the day before CNY. and you are not suppose to sweep on first 3 days. Then the praying on day 9 and day 15 is the last day.
yes 5 golden rings.. n you call yourself an American?? -lol lmao.. maybe they ain't cook it right.. its alright with a lil "fat choi" yea. fun see with the asian veggies.. i dunno that stuffs not too filling tho...
lol no... too much of it will make you sound like a crazy... its one line.. then ya leave it alone... walk away... -lol xD
lol you can't give pple too much of a good thing.. -lol *bows* mm yes.. thank you thank you... -worship
i know what 5 golden rings are but i just couldn't tell if you were making fun of me or if there was really something, since chinese people are all so into gold and red
