Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is one of the most important celebrations in Chinese culture. It marks a fresh beginning, an energetic reset, and a time to welcome prosperity, harmony and good fortune.
Each tradition — from cleaning your home to sharing reunion meals — carries deep symbolic meaning connected to luck, happiness and success. Here are the Chinese New Year top 10 things to do to start your year smoothly and attract positive energy.
1) 🧹 Do a Pre-New Year Deep Clean
Cleaning before New Year symbolises sweeping away bad luck and stagnant energy from the previous year.
- Clean windows and doors
- Declutter unused items
- Wash bedding and curtains
Important: Avoid cleaning on New Year’s Day so you don’t sweep away fresh luck. This acts as both a physical and mental reset.
2) 🏮 Decorate with Red and Gold
Red represents luck and protection, while gold symbolises wealth and success.
- Red lanterns
- Spring couplets
- Upside-down 福 (fortune) character
These decorations invite prosperity and joyful energy.
3) 🧧 Give Red Envelopes (Hongbao)
Red envelopes represent blessings and prosperity, usually given by elders to younger family members.
- Use crisp new notes
- Avoid number 4
- Even numbers and 8 are lucky
The blessing matters more than the amount.
4) 🍊 Display and Share Oranges
Oranges and mandarins symbolise wealth and success because their names sound like “luck” in Chinese. Their gold colour also represents abundance.
5) 👨👩👧👦 Have a Reunion Dinner
The reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve is the most important meal of the year.
- Fish for abundance
- Dumplings for wealth
- Longevity noodles for long life
This meal strengthens family harmony.
6) 💬 Say Auspicious Words
Positive words shape positive fortune.
- Gong Xi Fa Cai
- Xin Nian Kuai Le
- Shen Ti Jian Kang
Avoid arguments or negative speech.
7) 👕 Wear New Clothes
New clothes symbolise a fresh start.
- Red for luck
- Gold for wealth
- Bright festive colours
Avoid black and white on Day 1.
8) 🎆 Watch Fireworks or Lion Dances
Fireworks and lion dances scare away bad luck and invite prosperity, energy and celebration.
9) 💰 Set Wealth and Life Goals
Many people write financial goals, start savings plans and refresh their Feng Shui wealth corner to align with growth.
10) ❤️ Visit and Bless Loved Ones
Visiting relatives spreads good fortune and strengthens relationships.
- Bring small gifts
- Offer blessings
- Respect elders
Final Thoughts
Chinese New Year is about renewal, gratitude and intention. Even small positive actions can set a powerful tone for the year ahead. By following these traditions sincerely, you align yourself with prosperity, happiness and smooth progress.