Chinese New Year Advice

[David77]

Today, 1-27-09, is Chinese New Year.

Those wishing to start 2009 with a bit of good luck are encouraged to open windows, switch on your lights at night, eat sweets and keep your house clean.
You're advised to steer clear of buying new shoes, getting a hair cut, sweeping the floor and avoid dressing in clothes that are black and white as these are considered harbingers of bad luck in Chinese culture.

[boomdriver]

I can easily avoid the black or white clothes, but it's a bit too cold here for the open window thing!

[Cheri]

Happy year of the ox.

[RalphVa]

Maybe we should have some ox tail soup?

[Naturist Mark]

Good riddance to the Rat ... Welcome to the Ox!

[tomi]

I am so glad to find out that white man also know very well about chinese zodiac. Yes, I wish all of us in 'cloths free' community with the best luck in the year of OX, as energetic as an ox...
Last but not least, Gong Xi Fa Cai.

[David77]

Here is a video regarding the Chinese New Year;

http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&vid=22e110c3-4d74-42d0-a7e4-3a1ac4fe592a&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:d286fd0b-3a17-4b48-baff-03df1c3bffdb%2C9aae2321-d830-40e3-956b-4bc483b569ad&from=MSNHP&tab=m1189615355928&GT1=42006
Click on first video in the list of videos.

Another video states that the following foods are not Chinese;
Fried rice, chicken chow mein, chop suey, egg roll and egg foo young.

They are cooked by the Chinese in the USA because they sell well here.

[Naturist Zoar]

It's 4706 and specifically ,the year of the earth ox.
Earth being the element of the year.
Thanks for bringing this info to the board David.
Your insights are always keen.

[Shanghaist]

I do not know about the black and white clothes being bad luck. I live in China and see lots of Shanghainese wearing black and white clothing. But I am all for good fortune!!

[David77]

The following article lists the things that bring good luck and the things that bring bad luck during the Chinese New Year.
http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/2009/01/26/the-chinese-new-year-the-color-red/

This article states,
"Avoid clothes in black and white, as black is a symbol of bad luck, and white is a traditional Chinese funeral colour".

My thought is that some people around the world have varying superstitions.

I have heard that one of the old USA superstitions is to carry a rabbit's foot in ones pocket for good luck, but no one I know has done that.

I got a chicken's foot in my soup in a Chinese restaurant in Vancouver Canada, but I can not identify the good luck it was supposed to bring.

[Pete Knight]

I have heard that one of the old USA superstitions is to carry a rabbit's foot in ones pocket for good luck, but no one I know has done that.

There are lots of three legged rabbits around that would argue the contrary.

[David77]

Pete,
This is in response,

Superstitions in Britian;

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/superstitions.htm

Our superstitions are almost identical.