Do's and Don'ts of New Year's Eve

Okies this is the reference to WOW's own lunar festivals see if you can spot the similarities!

The Chinese New Year is a time for gathering with the family to say goodbye to things that no longer serve us and welcome in a new, prosperous year. Here are some of the main activities and superstitions for a prosperous new year.

BEFORE NEW YEARS EVE

• Clean the entire house to get rid of any ill-fortune associated with the past year and make room for incoming good luck.
• Put away all brooms and brushes.
• Pay all your debts
• Resolve differences with relatives, family members, friends, business associates
• Prepare meals for New Years Eve and New Years Day
• Decorate your house with plastic firecrackers to frighten away evil spirits and the bad luck they might bring.
• Decorate your home with live blooming plants to symbolize rebirth and new growth.
• Display oranges and tangerines to symbolize abundant happiness and a candy tray with eight varieties of dried sweet fruit to start the new year sweetly.

NEW YEARS EVE ( Sunday, January 25, 2009 )

• Get together with family for a meal and family activities.
• Pay respects to your ancestors.
• Set off firecrackers at midnight to send out the old year and welcome the new year.
• Open every door & window at midnight to let go of the old year

NEW YEARS DAY ( Monday, January 26, 2009 )
The events that occur on New Years Day may have an impact on the rest of the year so be careful with your words, your deeds, what you eat and whom you greet.

• Don't wash your hair or you will wash away any good luck for the new year
• Wear brand new clothes
• Wear the color red for joy and happiness.
• Don't wear white or black as they are colors of mourning.
• Greet your relatives, neighbors, and friends and wish them well.
• Don't greet people in mourning and vice versa if you are in mourning do not greet people.
  
• Give red envelopes with lucky money to children and unmarried people.
• Don't sweep the floor or clean or you may sweep away your luck.
• Don't say the number "four" (which sounds like the Chinese word for death)
• Don't mention death or tell ghost stories.
• Don't cook.
• Don't use knives or scissors or you may cut off fortune.
• Don't lend money or you will be lending all year.
• Don't borrow money.