Why can't we go to other people's houses on New Year's Day? What are the customs on New Year's Day?

The customs on the first day of the Lunar New Year include setting off firecrackers, paying New Year's greetings, fortune-telling, pasting pictures of chickens, gathering wealth, etc. Apart from this, in some areas people do not pay New Year's greetings on the first day of the Lunar New Year and do not like to visit other people's homes. So why can’t we go to other people’s homes on New Year’s Day? What other customs are there on New Year’s Day?

Why can't we go to other people's houses on New Year's Day?

People believe that the first day of the Lunar New Year is a "poor ghost day". People don't like to go to other people's homes, nor do they welcome others to their homes.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, people have to open the door and sweep the floor early in the morning, which means sweeping out the "poor ghost". There is a saying in Foshan area that goes "On the first day of the new year, hide gold and silver." Elderly people do not go out on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Going out is said to "leave wealth and fortune". Elders staying at home can bring prosperity to the family in the coming year. Generally speaking, younger generations should visit their elders to pay New Year's greetings to show their filial piety. However, married women have to wait until the second day of the Lunar New Year to return to their parents' home.

What are the customs on New Year’s Day?

1. Walking incense

During the New Year, men, women, young and old wear new clothes, bring sacrificial offerings, gold paper, incense and candles, and go to various temples to worship Buddha and pray for the safety of the whole family. Each temple will also prepare bright lamps, peace lamps, and even rituals for believers to burn incense and pray. It is commonly believed that the first day of the first lunar month when the gates of heaven are opened, and that burning the first stick of incense and praying will be particularly effective. Therefore, after the New Year's Eve, at the hour of midnight, some of the more famous temples will immediately be flooded with people who eat vegetarian fruits, burn incense and pray.

2. Gathering wealth

The first day of the first lunar month is the birthday of the broom. You cannot use the broom on this day, otherwise it will sweep away your luck and money, and attract "broom stars" and bring bad luck. If you must sweep the floor, you must sweep from the outside to the inside. You cannot throw water or garbage outside on this day, for fear of losing money. Today, many places still keep the custom of cleaning the house on New Year's Eve, not sweeping the floor or taking out the garbage on New Year's Day, and preparing a large bucket to hold waste water, which is not poured out on that day.