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CNY Fast Facts
• The date for Chinese New Year
changes each year. It always falls
between January 21 and February
20, determined by the Chinese
lunar calendar.
• The celebration is actually known
It is best to start the as “Spring Festival” in China, even
year with a financially though it falls in the middle of the
clean slate by paying
all your debts by New winter!
Year’s Eve.
• Lantern Day marks the last day of
Chinese New Year. Everyone carries
beautiful paper lanterns and walks
along the streets. In Singapore and
Pay The Debts Year to go shopping for new clothes as Malaysia, Lantern Day is their form
damaged clothes will cause more bad luck of Valentine’s Day.
Have a little bit extra cash from the for the year. Do it prior to the celebration
year-end bonus that you received for all especially if you are planning to get a • Tradition says that Nian, a ferocious
the hard work put in throughout the year? pair of new shoes. The shoe shop is to be beast who preys on humans,
This is the perfect time to pay up all your avoided over the holiday period as shoes emerges from his hiding place on
debts. Many of the superstitions around are a homonym for ‘rough’, which can New Year’s Eve, but is frightened
Chinese New Year are aimed at ensuring suggest a rough year ahead. off by the red decorations and
prosperity for the twelve months ahead banners!
and the Chinese believe that if you start
the New Year in the red you will • On Chinese New Year everyone
finish it the same way. is a year older. It does not matter
That is why it is best to start when you were born; this is like a
the year with a financially clean national birthday.
slate by paying all your debts by
New Year’s Eve. Avoid borrowing • The main celebrations usually
money on New Year’s Day too begin with a family gathering and
and if someone who owes you meal on the eve of the Spring
money, do not go over to his or Festival.
her home to demand it because
you will end up being unlucky all • The cash received in ang pao (red
the year. Yikes! packets) is usually in an even
number. It cannot be divisible by
Look Festive In Red four. In Chinese, the number 4
means death.
Red is the colour of Chinese New
Year. The colour is considered to
be the ultimate luck bringer at this
time of year, which is why it should
be the only colour to be seen in
throughout the celebration.
White or black clothes are a
complete no-no as these two Red colour is
considered to be the
colours are traditionally associated ultimate luck bringer
with death and mourning. It is also at this time of year.
highly advisable for those who
are celebrating Chinese New
FireFlyz ~ 13
