12 things you need to know before stepping into the Year of the Snake

January 29 marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year, one of the most important festivals in Asian countries. Each culture celebrating the Lunar New Year has traditions passed down from generation to generation that are thought to bring good luck.

For this year - the Year of the Snake, The Standard is here to provide you with tips to ensure a lucky year ahead.

On New Year’s Eve

- Pomelo leaf shower
It’s a tradition to use pomelo leaf to shower before the Lunar New Year to remove lingering bad luck or negative energy from the previous year, making space for good fortune and prosperity the coming year.

On New Year’s Day

- Married daughters should not return to their parent’s home
According to Chinese customs, married daughters who return to their original family on the first day of the Lunar New Year will bring misfortune and poverty to the family. They must do so on the second day of the Lunar New Year. (Though most families nowadays are open to breaking the norm, while some choose to eat out at restaurants to make sure families see each other!)

- Avoid eating porridge as breakfast
Chinese avoid eating porridge for breakfast, as it is considered to be the food of poor people and no one is willing to have a "poor" start to the new year. Meanwhile, they show their respect to Buddhist gods by not including meat in their breakfast.

- Avoid taking medication
You should not take medicine during the Lunar New Year because it is said that you will be sick for the rest of the year to come. So unless you have to, (your health comes first) avoid medicine, doctors, shots, and surgery, too!

- Avoid waking up a person by calling his/her full name
Do not wake up a person by calling his/her full name, as it is believed that those who are woken up by someone on the first day of Lunar New Year by calling their full name will have to work extra hard throughout the coming year.

- Avoid New Year's greetings to people asleep
Do not give New Year's greetings to someone still in bed. Doing so might lead to that person lying in bed sick for the whole year.

- Avoid lending and borrowing money
It is often said that “one cannot owe money in the New Year." Traditionally, one should return money and goods owed before the New Year to ensure good fortune in the new year. It is also forbidden to borrow money during the New Year, as it is considered an inauspicious sign that both parties will face money problems in the coming year.

- No afternoon nap
You may sleep in on this day, but you do not want to take an afternoon nap since it is believed that napping on New Year's Day indicates that you will be lazy for the next year.

- No housekeeping
No sweeping the floor or taking out rubbish. If you do so, you are carrying your fortune out.

- No washing clothes or hair or bathing
The first and second day of the lunar year is the birthday of the “Water God”, so you are not supposed to use water to show respect for the Water God.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year

- Married daughters return home bearing gifts
Married daughters should go back to parents' home with gifts and red envelopes. They should bring an even number of gifts, as an odd number is considered bad luck in Chinese culture.

On the third day of the Lunar New Year

- Stay at home
The third day of the Chinese New Year is considered an ominous day, as people in ancient times believed that it would be easy to misspeak or offend others on the day. Therefore, it is recommended not to visit relatives or invite people to your home, to avoid getting into trouble or quarrelling.