Chinese New Year 2026: Things to Do (and Avoid) for a Lucky Year Ahead

Chinese New Year 2026 is fast approaching, and with it comes a host of customs believed to shape fortune for the year ahead.

From food traditions to wardrobe choices, the first day of the Lunar New Year is filled with symbolic gestures that many believe can attract prosperity or, if ignored, bring the opposite. While some practices are widely known, others are lesser-known rituals said to invite wealth and abundance into the home.

Falling on 17 February 2026, the festival marks the start of a new lunar cycle and a fresh chapter for families across Asia and beyond. For many, the first day is about setting the tone for the year ahead, with careful attention paid to language, habits and even breakfast choices.

Here are six things traditionally avoided on Chinese New Year's Day, plus one unusual ritual said to boost good fortune.

Six Things to Avoid on Chinese New Year's Day

1. Don't sweep or take out rubbishAccording to China Highlights, sweeping on the first day of the Lunar New Year is believed to 'sweep wealth away'. Taking out rubbish is also discouraged, as it is said to symbolise throwing out good fortune from the home.
2. Avoid 'unlucky' words
   Negative language is traditionally avoided during the festive period. China Highlights explains: 'Nobody wants to hear words with negative meanings during the Lunar New Year period. Avoid saying words related to death, sickness, poverty, ghosts.' Instead, people often use softer expressions, such as saying someone is 'gone' rather than 'died'.
3. No breakfast porridge
   Traditional beliefs warn against eating porridge or meat for breakfast on the first day of the new year. The humble bowl of porridge has long been associated with poverty, and starting the year with it is considered a bad omen that may signal a financially difficult year ahead.
4. Avoid washing or cutting hair
   Hair washing on New Year's Day is believed to 'wash one's fortune away'. Cutting hair is also discouraged, as tradition holds that it could bring misfortune to uncles within the family.
5. Don't wash clothes
   The first and second days of the new year are considered the birthday of the water god in some Chinese traditions. Washing clothes during this period is seen as disrespectful, as well as symbolically pouring away wealth.
6. Do not wear black or white clothing
   While red is widely recognised as a lucky colour during the Lunar New Year, black and white are traditionally avoided. China Highlights notes these colours are associated with mourning, making them unsuitable for a celebration focused on luck and renewal.

The 'Rolling In The Gold' Rituals

Alongside the list of things to avoid, Feng Shui experts point to one simple ritual believed to bring prosperity. Known as 'rolling in the gold', it involves rolling nine oranges through the doorway on the first day of the new year.

Feng Shui consultant Suzanne Roynon explains to Homes and Gardens: 'This is an enjoyable tradition to encourage good fortune, prosperity, and success into homes on the first day of the Chinese New Year celebrations. In some Chinese dialects, the word for orange sounds very much like the word for gold, while tangerine evokes the word for luck.'

Oranges, tangerines, mandarins or kumquats are rolled across the threshold, sometimes with Chinese coins, to symbolise wealth entering the home. Chinese medicine practitioner Katie Brindle adds: 'The bright colour and round shape of an orange also resemble gold ingots, which have historically been a powerful symbol of wealth in China.'

Feng Shui practitioner Suzanne Butler says the ritual focuses on the home's entrance, known as the 'mouth of qi', where energy and opportunity flow in. 'By rolling them inward, you are intentionally welcoming fresh energy into the home for the year ahead, encouraging prosperity to arrive smoothly and stay,' she explains.

Once inside, the fruit is typically shared with family or friends to spread the positive energy. Some also place written wishes in red envelopes beneath a bowl of mandarins for the first three days of the new year, reflecting on them when the next festival arrives.