Lunar New Year Traditions in Hong Kong

Welcome the Year of the Horse with essential Chinese New Year traditions that maximise good fortune and ward off bad luck. From proper decoration placement to clothing choices and cleaning rituals, these time-honoured customs ensure prosperity and happiness throughout 2026.

01. Dressing In Red For Luck On Chinese New Year

Red symbolises good luck in Chinese culture, explaining its omnipresence during festivities through lai see packets, paper lanterns, and door couplets. Many people wear red clothing on the day to attract additional good fortune and prosperity for the coming year. Conversely, black and white garments should be avoided as these colours traditionally associate with mourning practices.

02. Sweep Out The Old Before Chinese New Year’s Eve

The phonetic similarity between Chinese characters for “dust” and “old” transforms cleaning into a ritual for banishing the past and welcoming renewal. This sweeping must occur before New Year’s Eve since cleaning during the first lunar month’s initial week brings misfortune. Remember storing away brooms and vacuums afterward to avoid accidentally diminishing your accumulated good fortune.

03. Hang Up Your Chinese New Year Decorations

After completing your deep cleaning, proper decoration placement becomes crucial for attracting prosperity while driving away bad luck through red lanterns. Vertical couplets containing two Chinese poetry lines belong on doorway sides, while horizontal banners hang above doorframes with paper cutouts adorning windows. The fuk (福) fortune symbols are hung upside down since “upside down” sounds like “arrive” in Chinese, symbolising incoming good fortune.

04. Open Your Windows At Midnight

Victoria Harbour’s spectacular annual fireworks display represents Hong Kong’s traditional method of banishing misfortune with dramatic celebration. Some households practice opening windows precisely at midnight to ceremonially usher out the departing year while welcoming the Year of the Horse. This custom symbolically allows fresh energy and good fortune to flow into your home for the new lunar year.

05. Don’t Wash Or Cut Your Hair During Chinese New Year

The Chinese character for “hair” matches the “fat” in “fat choi” meaning “to become wealthy,” prompting people to avoid washing or cutting hair during the festival’s opening days. Sharp implements are generally avoided as they signify bad luck, with scissors particularly believed to provoke quarrels and disputes. If you missed booking your pre-holiday trim, resist using those pointy shears regardless of your hair’s length.