Doors too! It's a common superstition that opening the doors and windows will let the old year out, and the new year in unimpeded.
A really interesting Irish New Year's tradition would involve people opening the back door of their house just before midnight to “let the Old year out” and opening the front door to “let the New Year in”. While opening the front door at midnight, people will also greet their neighbours and wish them a Happy New Year!
But opening your doors and windows at midnight is a way to let out the old year and welcome in the new, according to a tradition in the Philippines.
Open the door to welcome the New Year
As soon as the clock strikes midnight on Lunar New Year's Eve, open every door and window in the house – this allows the old year to go out and the good vibes of the new year to come in.
Potential risks of leaving your windows open at night
The biggest consideration is the safety and security of your home. If you leave your windows open, there is an increased chance that a criminal may use these to gain entry into your home. There is also the risk of a wild animal entering and causing property damage.
This means washing or cutting it off is seen as washing your fortune away and dramatically reduces chances of prosperity in the year ahead. Actually, LNY fundamentalists will tell you taking a shower is also off-limits on the first day for the same reason.
Wearing Gold On New Year's Eve
Gold is the most auspicious color for manifesting since it represents alchemy, wealth, and royalty.
For centuries, the Chinese have believed cleaning on the first couple of days of a new year, especially sweeping on New Year's Day, brings bad luck. Since this seems to be one of the oldest New Year's superstitions, go ahead and skip the sweeping.
One common tradition is cleaning your house thoroughly on or before New Year's Eve. Out with the old, in with the new they say. Most people believe in the idea that cleaning your house before the first day of the New Year ensures that you don't carry in your old, somewhat soiled, life into the New Year.
It also significantly keeps carbon monoxide levels down. By limiting a fire's ability to spread, closing your bedroom door at night also gives you more time to react when the smoke alarm goes off. And these days, every second counts.
It's actually one of the key fire safety tips you need to know. Closing your door may not seem like a big deal. But in the event of a house fire, it could give you more time to escape the flames. Forty years ago, the average time to escape a house fire was 17 minutes.
Sammy Margo, sleep expert at Dreams adds, 'Keeping your bedroom door open can promote better airflow within your living space; this can be particularly beneficial if your room tends to get stuffy or lacks proper ventilation. ' 'Better air circulation can contribute to a more comfortable and restful sleep environment.
Switzerland. In Switzerland many people believe that dropping a dollop of cream on the floor on New Year's day will bring them luck. They also take part in the tradition of dressing up in costumes; this chases evil energy away and brings good spirits into people's lives.
The idea behind exchanging a kiss at midnight on New Year's Eve is rooted in a simple superstition: The way you ring in the new year will determine how the rest of your year will go.
On New Year's Eve, Italians Eat. . .
This Italian New Year's tradition calls for a grape to be eaten for each hour struck on the clock. According to popular legend, raisins are also consumed in some Italian regions. They're signs of good luck.
It's said that you shouldn't eat winged fowl (read: birds like turkey or chicken), bottom feeders (like shrimp or catfish), or any seafood that swims backward or side to side (like lobster or crab).
No washing or cutting your hair
It is believed that if you wash your hair on New Year's day, you'd also be washing away all your luck. It's somewhat similar to if you cut your hair, you'd be cutting your life shorter!
It's also suggested you should not eat certain things on New Year's Eve, in order to prevent bad luck for the year ahead, such as lobster and chicken. Since lobsters can move backwards, eating them before the stroke of midnight may cause setbacks. For chickens, the idea is similar as they can scratch backwards.
Both white and black are unlucky colors for Chinese New Year.
Yellow. If you're Latine, you probably traditionally wear yellow underwear on New Year's Eve. It is said that wearing new, yellow underwear brings luck, money, and happiness in the new year because the color yellow represents wealth. Go figure; our astrologer already told us that we're going public next year ??. Blue.
Wearing all white on New Year's eve is already a tradition in a few different countries and its one we're excited to adopt for ourselves. The color white symbolizes new beginnings, peace, and prosperity—wear it this New Years Eve for a super chic departure from your usual holiday attire.
Loved ones will take turns to sit with the body at the family home, temple or funeral parlour, while mourners may bring offerings of things like incense or food. This can last up to seven days. During this period, it's traditional for mourners to offer money as a donation to the soul of the dead person.
On the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, there is a Chinese New Year taboo on sweeping the house and dumping the trash. Otherwise, all the savings and valuables will be swept away.