🏮 15 Days of Chinese New Year 🏮
Discover the rich traditions, customs, and taboos of each day during the Chinese New Year celebration period. From Day 1 to the Lantern Festival on Day 15.
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Chinese New Year's Eve - Reunion Dinner
The most important meal of the year. Families gather for a grand reunion dinner to welcome the new year together.
✅What TO DO
- •Prepare elaborate reunion dinner with symbolic dishes
- •Whole family must gather together (most important)
- •Serve fish (symbolizes abundance - 年年有余)
- •Clean the entire house thoroughly before midnight
- •Put up red decorations, couplets, and door gods
- •Prepare red envelopes for the next day
- •Stay up late or all night (守岁 - guarding the year)
- •Watch CNY TV programs together
- •Set off firecrackers at midnight to welcome the new year
- •Prepare offerings for ancestors
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't leave any food unfinished (sign of abundance)
- •Don't argue or use bad language
- •Don't break dishes or items
- •Don't cry or be sad
- •Don't turn off all lights (keep some on overnight)
- •Don't go to bed too early (missing the transition)
- •Don't eat all the fish (leave some for abundance)
💡Significance
The reunion dinner symbolizes family unity and prosperity. It's the most important gathering of the year, where no family member should be absent.
First Day - Welcoming the New Year
The most important day of Chinese New Year, marked by family reunions and new beginnings.
✅What TO DO
- •Wake up early and greet family members with auspicious phrases
- •Wear new clothes, preferably in red or bright colors
- •Visit parents and grandparents to pay respects
- •Give and receive red envelopes (hongbao/angpao)
- •Eat vegetarian food (for some families)
- •Set off firecrackers to ward off evil spirits
- •Open doors and windows to let good luck in
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't sweep or throw away trash (sweeping away good luck)
- •Don't wash hair (washing away fortune)
- •Don't use sharp objects like knives or scissors
- •Don't break things (bad omen for the year)
- •Don't say unlucky words or argue
- •Don't cry or get angry
- •Don't eat porridge (associated with poverty)
💡Significance
Sets the tone for the entire year. First impressions matter!
Second Day - Returning to Mother's Home
Married daughters return to their parents' home with their husbands and children.
✅What TO DO
- •Visit maternal family with gifts
- •Pray to ancestors and the God of Wealth (Cai Shen)
- •Start business operations (auspicious day for opening)
- •Prepare elaborate feasts for guests
- •Continue giving red envelopes
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't wash clothes (Day of the Water God's birthday)
- •Single women shouldn't go back to their parents' home
- •Avoid arguing with in-laws
💡Significance
Honors family ties and welcomes prosperity for businesses.
Third Day - Red Mouth Day
Considered an unlucky day to visit others. A day for rest and staying home.
✅What TO DO
- •Stay at home with immediate family
- •Go to bed early
- •Rest and recuperate from celebrations
- •Burn paper offerings to ancestors
- •Spend quiet time with family
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't visit friends or relatives (risk of arguments)
- •Don't go to parties or social gatherings
- •Avoid important meetings or decisions
- •Don't lend money or borrow
💡Significance
A day of rest to avoid conflicts and recharge for the festivities ahead.
Fourth Day - Welcoming the Gods
The Kitchen God returns to earth from heaven to observe households.
✅What TO DO
- •Prepare offerings of food and fruits
- •Burn incense and joss paper
- •Clean the house thoroughly
- •Welcome the gods back with prayers
- •Light firecrackers to greet deities
- •Businesses may choose this day to reopen
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't travel far from home
- •Avoid being disrespectful or using bad language
- •Don't neglect altar preparations
💡Significance
Renewing the household's relationship with protective deities.
Fifth Day - Breaking the Fifth (Po Wu)
End of the New Year taboo period. Time to resume normal activities and welcome the God of Wealth.
✅What TO DO
- •Clean the house and take out trash accumulated over the first days
- •Eat dumplings (jiaozi) shaped like ancient money
- •Set off firecrackers to welcome wealth
- •Open shops and businesses
- •Resume normal work and activities
- •Welcome the God of Wealth (Cai Shen)
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Previous taboos are lifted, but maintain respectful behavior
- •Don't ignore prayers to the God of Wealth
💡Significance
Breaking free from restrictions and actively pursuing prosperity.
Sixth Day - Horse Day
Day to drive away poverty and resume business activities fully.
✅What TO DO
- •Send away the Ghost of Poverty by cleaning
- •Throw out old items and broken things
- •Resume all business operations
- •Visit friends and relatives again
- •Shopping and entertainment activities
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't keep broken or useless items
- •Avoid negative thoughts about the year ahead
💡Significance
Symbolically removing poverty and embracing prosperity.
Seventh Day - Everyone's Birthday (Renri)
The day humanity was created according to Chinese mythology. Everyone adds one year to their age.
✅What TO DO
- •Eat raw fish salad (yusheng/lou hei) and toss it high for prosperity
- •Celebrate with noodles for longevity
- •Honor humanity and life
- •Gather with friends for prosperity toss
- •Drink alcohol and celebrate
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't punish children (everyone's birthday)
- •Avoid being pessimistic about life
- •Don't eat chicken (symbolizes punishment in some cultures)
💡Significance
Celebrating human existence and wishing for health and longevity.
Eighth Day - Praying to Heaven
The Jade Emperor's birthday. Hokkien families offer prayers and thanksgiving.
✅What TO DO
- •Pray to the Jade Emperor at midnight (or start at 11 PM on Day 7)
- •Prepare elaborate offerings with fruits, tea, and sugar cane
- •Burn joss paper and incense
- •Set up altars with specific arrangements
- •Family gatherings continue
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't be disrespectful during prayers
- •Avoid negative behavior on this sacred day
- •Don't neglect proper offerings
💡Significance
Showing gratitude to the supreme deity and seeking blessings.
Ninth Day - Jade Emperor's Birthday
Major celebration day, especially for Hokkien communities. Most important after Day 1.
✅What TO DO
- •Offer prayers with grand ceremonies
- •Use special offerings: sugar cane stalks, oranges, pomelo
- •Set off firecrackers at midnight
- •Prepare elaborate vegetarian feast
- •Thank the heavens for protection
- •Display red and gold decorations prominently
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't kill animals or eat meat (especially strict on this day)
- •Avoid impure thoughts or actions
- •Don't skip the midnight prayers
- •Avoid conflicts and arguments
💡Significance
The most sacred day of prayer and devotion during CNY period.
Tenth Day - Stone Festival
Birthday of stone and the God of Stone. Day to honor rocks, mills, and grinding stones.
✅What TO DO
- •Avoid moving or striking stones
- •Give stone tools a rest day
- •Offer prayers to stone-related items
- •Continue family gatherings
- •Share food with friends
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't use grinding stones or mills
- •Don't move heavy stone objects
- •Avoid construction work with stones
💡Significance
Respecting natural elements and tools that support daily life.
Eleventh Day - Son-in-Law Day
Fathers-in-law entertain sons-in-law with leftover food from Jade Emperor's birthday.
✅What TO DO
- •Sons-in-law visit or are invited by father-in-law
- •Share remaining feast food from Day 9
- •Strengthen family bonds
- •Exchange gifts and well wishes
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't refuse father-in-law's invitation
- •Avoid being disrespectful to in-laws
💡Significance
Building harmonious relationships within extended family.
Twelfth Day - Preparing for Lantern Festival
Begin preparations for the grand finale of CNY celebrations.
✅What TO DO
- •Buy lanterns and decorations
- •Prepare ingredients for glutinous rice balls (tangyuan)
- •Start planning Lantern Festival activities
- •Continue visiting relatives
- •Shop for final celebration supplies
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't neglect Lantern Festival preparations
- •Avoid postponing important arrangements
💡Significance
Transitioning toward the final celebration of the festive period.
Thirteenth Day - Honoring Guan Gong
Birthday of Guan Gong (God of War). Focus on business success and protection.
✅What TO DO
- •Pray at Guan Gong temples
- •Make offerings to ensure business prosperity
- •Eat simple vegetarian meals
- •Honor loyalty and righteousness (Guan Gong's virtues)
- •Continue Lantern Festival preparations
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't engage in dishonest business practices
- •Avoid betraying trust or being disloyal
💡Significance
Seeking protection and righteous conduct in business and life.
Fourteenth Day - Preparing Lanterns
Final preparations for the Lantern Festival. Testing and hanging lanterns.
✅What TO DO
- •Hang up lanterns around the house and streets
- •Test lanterns to ensure they work
- •Cook glutinous rice balls (tangyuan)
- •Final shopping for the festival
- •Invite friends and family for Day 15
- •Decorate with more lights and colors
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't forget to prepare all festival items
- •Avoid last-minute rushing
💡Significance
Creating the magical atmosphere for the grand finale.
Fifteenth Day - Lantern Festival (Yuan Xiao Jie)
The grand finale! First full moon of the lunar year. Also known as Chinese Valentine's Day.
✅What TO DO
- •Display and light beautiful lanterns
- •Eat tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) for family unity
- •Watch lantern displays and dragon/lion dances
- •Solve lantern riddles
- •Young women pray for good marriages
- •Families reunite one last time
- •Take down CNY decorations after today
- •Enjoy fireworks displays
❌What NOT TO DO
- •Don't skip eating tangyuan (breaking family unity)
- •Avoid staying home alone (time for celebration)
- •Don't be stingy with celebrations
💡Significance
Celebrating unity, hope, and the bright future ahead. Marks the official end of CNY.
恭喜发财！新年快乐！
May these traditions bring you prosperity, health, and happiness throughout the Year of the Horse 2026! 🐴✨