Here's How:
Go to the fortune teller.
Learn your fortune for the year ahead.
Get a Hair Cut.
A hair cut before New Year's is a must as cutting anything during Chinese New Year is considered bad luck. Need inspiration? About.com has help to insure you start the year off with the right hairstyle.
Clean the House.
Getting organized and doing a thorough spring cleaning are required to be complete by Chinese New Year. Every nook and cranny of the home is scrubbed, broken furniture and appliances discarded, and dirt is swept toward the door to insure Chinese New Year starts off right. Some families also adhere to Chinese New Year feng shui practices. Finally, chunlian (paper couplets) are hung around the home's doorway to usher in good luck.
- Spring Cleaning: A Complete Checklist
- Chinese New Year Decorations: All about Chunlian
Go Shopping.
Before Chinese New Year arrives, the following items must be bought: food for the Chinese New Year celebrations, new clothes to usher in the New Year, gifts and red envelopes to distribute to family and friends.Chinese New Year Food:
- Dumplings: Why Chinese Dumplings Are Eaten
- Chinese Dumplings: Recipes
- Yuanxiao
- Laba Zhou
- Tray of Togetherness
New Clothes:
- Women's Clothing: Qipao
- Red Underwear
Chinese Gifts:
Often given instead of gifts, learn all about Red Envelopes.When visiting a person's house during Chinese New Year, it is customary to give a gift.
Tips:
- Start early in order to finish before Chinese New Year.
- Get the entire family involved to make Chinese New Year preparations easier and faster.
