I am however not brought up to embrace the Chinese superstitions and culture for all it's glory, so my experiences are not of a typical Chinese girl.... but more like a Chinese looking girl with a hint of Chinese culture & a lot of Western influences (heck, Sesame Street was one of my 1st nannies!!) !
As far back as my brain can remember; when I was a child ( back in my birth country- Malaysia, days before Chinese New Year, grandma would be frantically cleaning the house up mainly because on the 1st day of Chinese New Year, it was considered bad luck to sweep or clean or throw away garbage as that would mean throwing away Good Luck! Mom (depending if she was working out-stationed or not would also help clean the house). Mom & aunties would gather to make New Year cookies & prepare for the Reunion dinner on the Eve of Chinese New Year (all family members were suppose to be back for the dinner)!
I also vaguely remembered that for the 1st 3 days - no emptying out garbage!
On the 1st day is the day to visit the elders & wish them Happy New Year!
I remember visiting other family members / rellies to wish Happy New Year, & we would get 'Ang Pows' i.e. red packets /envelopes containing money from married couples.
So in other words, children & singles get to receive "Ang Pows", while parents and married couples give them out!
On the 2nd till the 15th day of CNY, we visited other rellies & friends and get more "Ang Pows".
and also of course eat New Year cookies.
We also brought mandarins when visiting & suppose to exchange them with whom ever we visited. And VERY IMPORTANT to give them in even numbers like: 2 or 4 or 6.
Since I have been living in Australia for quite a number of years, I have forgotten of those even numbers & accidentally gave 1 mandarin to my in-laws which did not go down too well I must say! Thank God I have been forgiven for my UN-Chineseness! and re-learnt that quickly :)Here are some other Superstitions during the CNY period, I've found today on the net, some of which I have not heard of (mainly because I'm not Cantonese; thank Goodness I'm not - no offence to the Cantonese folks...)
Here is a roundup of the superstitions surrounding the Chinese New Year:
1. No Cleaning - The household has to be thoroughly cleaned before the New Year's day because it is believed that cleaning sweeps away bad luck from the last year. However, all cleaning equipment should be put away before the New Year's Eve so that good luck is not swept away. Even though sweeping is allowed after the first day of a New Year, the garbage and dust shouldn't be carried through the front door, as it may result in death or estrangement of a family member.
2. No Ghost Stories - According to Chinese beliefs, what happens on the New Year's Eve sets a precedent for the rest of the year. Foul language and unlucky words are a taboo on the first day of the New Year. Since ghost stories essentially involve mentions of death, children as well as elders are not allowed to tell stories related to spirits, zombies or the undead.
4. No Books - Book stores remain closed on the New Year's Eve as buying books is not allowed. The reason stems from the fact that "book" is a homonym for "lose" in Cantonese. However, apparently, there is no restriction on reading.
5. No Shoes - Shoe shopping is restricted on the first day because "shoes" is a homonym for "rough" in Cantonese.
6. No Crying - Crying is also a strict no-no on New Year's Eve which is why children are spared from spanking or punishments on the first day.
7. No Sitting in Bedroom - It is unlucky to meet anyone in their bedroom on the New Year's Eve, which is the reason why everyone, including infants, elderly and even those who are sick, are made to dress up and sit in the living room.
8. No Sharp Objects - Handling sharp objects is considered bad omen on the first day of the New Year, as they may "cut off" good fortune. It is recommended to put away knives and scissors the previous day.
9. Red is Good - Bright red clothes, decorations and ornaments are highly recommended for the Chinese New Year. Children receive money in red paper envelopes from parents who wish them a healthy and happy New Year. Red paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "good fortune" or "happiness," are used to decorate the household.
10. Songbirds are Good - The first person you meet on the New Year's eve holds great significance on how lucky you would be throughout the year. It is considered lucky to see or hear songbirds, red-colored birds or swallows on New Year's Eve.
