Dear Gossips,
Lunar New Year is exactly a week away, on Tuesday, February 1, so for those of us who observe it, this is your heads up. And for those of you who’ve been visiting this site over the years, a quick reminder about the pre-Lunar New Year tasks that are commonly performed as we make the transition from the Ox to the Tiger.
Lunar New Year customs vary from culture to culture. In Chinese culture, the next few days is all about clearing out the old luck from the previous year to prepare ourselves for the new luck of the new year. As my ma, the Chinese Squawking Chicken always says, why not make a clear path for luck to arrive? Why give good luck unnecessary obstacles?
So we clean. At my house we started yesterday, the most thorough clean of the year. Like the kind of clean where you pull your oven and fridge away from the wall and get to all that dust and other sh-t underneath. And don’t forget about the car, if you have one. Also, if you can book one, and if it’s safe where you are to go get one – a hair cut. Cut off last year, welcome the growth of the new year. That said, only if you can. If you’re not comfortable going out there because of omicron (I get this because I’m in lockdown too), don’t stress. Luck is not unreasonable, it’s not going to expect you to risk getting COVID for a lucky trim.
On Monday night, January 31, sleep on clean sheets. And clean or new pyjamas. That’s always been the tradition in my family – new jams for the new year.
Six sleeps until the Tiger comes. Be ready!
Yours in gossip,
Lainey
