Chinese New Year Rituals for 2025: Year of the Wood Snake

The Year of the Wood Snake is predicted to be just as tumultuous as the Year of the Wood Dragon. While there are opportunities for growth and advancement, there are just as many dangers, some of which you may not even be aware of until they hit. To ensure abundance and prosperity follow you all through the year, it is best to start the New Year on the right footing.

Chinese New Year in 2025 falls on January 29^th, and for the first 15 days of the new moon, the Chinese perform special rituals, adorning themselves and their homes with all the auspicious symbols of good fortune.

The house should be decorated with fruiting lime trees and flowering plants before January 14^th to introduce excellent growth energy into the home, and to invite in fresh new opportunities for wealth and career progress for all its residents.

Auspicious Chinese sonnets, especially those with the Chinese word “Fuk”, can be strung up at your entrance alongside red lanterns to usher in even more auspicious Chi.

This is such an important time that preparations often begin as early as a month before the new moon appears – new clothes are bought, food is prepared, home repairs are done, flowers are ordered, and altars are cleaned – all to make sure that the house gets a thorough spring cleaning.

If possible, bring in some NEW furniture as well.

THINGS TO DO BEFORE CHINESE NEW YEAR

1. Make repairs

Check your home for defects and ensure that everything is in working order prior to Chinese New Year. Repair leaking toilets, broken faucets, leaking roofs and so forth, as leaking water implies loss of wealth as well as loss of health. Anything that affects the kitchen or dining room can have a nasty impact on your rice bowl. Other critical areas to repair are the area around your main door and your bedroom. Cracked walls and broken doorways cause serious problems when carried over into the New Year, so make sure all of these are restored beforehand.

2. Refresh your home

The next step is to remove last year’s “rubbish”. These include old newspapers, magazines, books, plastic bags, broken containers and old clothes you may want to throw out. Allowing clutter to build up aggravates problems and increases challenges in your life, so don’t miss out on the dust behind and under cupboards, cabinets, refrigerators, washing machines and so on. This will help create opportunities for new luck and improve relationships.

Dispose of cutlery, plates, cups, bowls and serving dishes that are chipped, cracked or that show signs of damage.Damaged utensils are a sign of broken luck and they bring the home Bad Feng Shui, which will then unfavourably affect the prosperity and well-being of your family.

Inspect cupboards and drawers for things that are no longer useful; mismatched socks, torn or thread-worn undergarments, shirts, pants and damaged shoes must all go! Clearing out your cupboards symbolizes removing all negativities from your life and creating space for NEW things to enter.

Replace all damaged beds. Sleeping on broken beds brings obstacles and blockages to everything you do. It afflicts success luck and can create a rift in your marriage.

We also recommend giving your home a fresh coat of paint every 4-5 years, as this represents starting with a clean slate, and brings many new opportunities for improvements.

3. Restock your kitchen

You should always enter the New Year with a clean and fully-stocked kitchen. Throw away all expired food stuff. Recycle old bags and containers. Clean out your rice urn, wash and dry it, then place a red packet containing 3 dynasty coins tied together with red string at the base of the urn, and fill it to the brim with new rice. Keep your rice urn at least three quarters full throughout the 15 days of Chinese New Year.

Next, stock up your pantry and refrigerator for Chinese New Year as it is important to have enough food in the home to last throughout the 15 days.

4. Update home feng shui!

You should endeavor to update the feng shui of your home between December 21^st 2024, Winter Solstice, and February 4^th 2025, which is Lap Chun and the start of the solar year. December 21^st marks the changing of the Tai Sui as well as the Three Killings. February 4^th meanwhile is when the annual Lo Shu numbers move to their new locations and start exerting their full effects.

If you are planning to reuse your feng shui cures, you need to wipe them clean with a damp cloth soaked in cleansing water. But it is always best to use a NEW cure. Enhancers retain their powers, but remedies work by absorbing bad energies from the past year. In order to reuse them, the bad energies must be properly removed.

HOW TO PREPARE CLEANSING WATER

Flower petals from 5 kinds of flowers are needed. Best if you can get flowers that represent the 5 elements – Blue for Water, Yellow for Earth, Green for Wood, Red for Fire and White for Metal. You also need leaves from the Kaffir lime, or use lime or lemon leaves if Kaffir leaves are not readily available. Soak all the ingredients in a bowl of water with 1 tablespoon of sea salt and place them in the sun for 10 minutes before using. Rinse your cleaning cloth in the mixture, squeeze dry then wipe all your remedies, enhancers, auspicious good luck charms and protection amulets. You can also use this to clean your home altar, statues and figurines.

5. Cleanse the energy of your home

Once you have finished cleaning and updating your feng shui, you should cleanse the overall energy of your home with the following ritual.

HOW TO PERFORM THE SPACE CLEANSING RITUAL

Open all your windows and doors, and switch on all the lights. It is best to do this in the daytime. Light some Period 9 Heavenly Blessing Purification Incense in an Incense Holder.

Chant the Vajrasattva Purification Mantra as you walk around each room 7 times in a clockwise direction with the incense, all the while visualising the negative chi coming off your walls.

The Vajrasattva Purification Mantra

You can also stroke singing bowls for enhanced effect. Leave the doors and windows open for at least an hour after the ritual for bad energy to exit the home, and to allow good energy to permeate the home as the incense dissolves.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR THE FIRST 15 DAYS OF CHINESE NEW YEAR

Eve of Chinese New Year (28^th January 2025)

Prepare a welcome tray of togetherness today. This is a special box filled with an assortment of sweets, biscuits, melon seed, candies and oranges, for anyone who might drop by during the 15 days of the New Year.

A typical REUNION DINNER must have a minimum of 8 dishes and comprise the following ingredients, because of their symbolic meanings:-

TABOOS OF THE DAY:

1st day of Chinese New Year (29^th January 2025)

Wake up early today, preferably before sunrise, and after cleaning up, put on a new set of clothes. Make sure you wear something red to wish your family members a happy Chinese New Year and offer them a cup of sweet tea. This practice ensures that relationships with your family members will always be on good terms, and that you will only hear good news from their lips throughout the whole year.

8 Treasures Sweet Tea

TABOOS OF THE DAY – Must not get angry, must not cry, and must not sweep the floor.

It is best to be vegetarian today, at least till the hour of the Sheep, which is from 1.00pm to 3.00pm.Also a good day to visit the temple and offer prayers.

Married couples should give red packets to younger unmarried people that they meet today. Many people observe this practice for all 15 days of the New Year. It is believed that the more red packets you give out, the more money the year brings to you.

As this day falls on the day of the Dog, those born in years of the Dog and Dragon must avoid eating meat. Preferably become vegetarian for the day.

Homes with main doors opening to the West, East and Northwest are deemed very auspicious. If your home faces any one of these directions, you should host a home party on this day to maximize your luck. Good hours to hold your party will be from 9.00am – 11.00am, and 3:00pm – 11:00pm.

Homes with main doors opening to the Northeast or Southwest should avoid any celebration today.

2nd day of CNY (30^th Jan 2025) – Hoi Nian

This day is known as ‘Hoi Nian’. Being the 2nd day of the year, it is beneficial for businessmen to offer at their home altar, a grass carp with its head wrapped with red paper, 2 pieces of lime on the right side and a bunch of Fresh Lettuce (Shang Choi).This carries the meaning of “Tai Kat Tai Ley” – an auspicious and smooth year with continuous growth of wealth.

It is also customary to offer visiting friends and business partners a slice of steamed “Lian Quo” coated with grated coconut to cement profitable partnerships and friendships.

Today is also a good day to pay respects to your ancestors. This is also traditionally a day when married children visit their paternal parents.

3rd day of CNY (31^st January 2025) – Birthday of Argument God

Today is the Birthday of the Argument God (Chi Gou – God of Blazing Wrath). If you go out today, you are likely to get into an argument or fight. Those born in years of the Rat, Rabbit, Rooster and Horse should stay home to avoid getting caught up in a conflict. Display a pair of Trinity of Apples in the center of your living and dining rooms to strengthen peace in the household.

Make generous offerings on your altar. Suitable items include Bananas, Dried Mushrooms, Spring Onions, White Cabbage, Garlic Bulbs, Pineapples, Peanuts, Apples, Pears, Oranges, Apricots, Plums, Flowers and Candy.

4th day of CNY (1^st Feb 2025) – Prayers for the Children

The 4th day is an excellent day to perform prayers for your children. Taoists pray to Lord Wen Chang aka Wen Chang Di Jun, one of five deities that take care of all academic issues for students. Place the 7-Level Scholastic Pagoda on your children’s study table or hang the amulet version on their bag to ensure a successful academic year.

Today is a good day for a lion dance performance if your home faces Southwest, South or Southeast.

5th day of CNY (2^nd Feb 2025) – Good Day for Good Deeds

Today is an auspicious day to do good deeds and to offer prayers at the temple. This is the day of the Tiger, and for business owners, it is a good day to welcome Kuan Kung and the God of Wealth into your office.

It is also the right day for business owners and those living in North, Southwest and Northeast-facing homes to bring in lion dancers, and to perform prosperity rituals such as the ‘rolling in of oranges’.

6th day of CNY (3^rd Feb 2025)

This is a good day for the Rabbit, and an excellent one for celebrations of all kinds. Gambling is a popular activity on this day. However, one should avoid drinking to excess. Homes that face West, Southwest and North should have their lion scheduled for today.

7th day of CNY (4^th Feb 2025) – Everyone’s Birthday / Lap Chun Day

Today is “Ren Re”or everyone’s birthday. For businessmen, it is a good day for feasting and eating ‘Yue Sang’ with friends and clients. A lucky day for those born in the years of the Rooster and Snake. Homes that face South, North and Northeast should hold their Lion Dance Performance today.

For Buddhists, this is another vegetarian day. A traditional vegetarian dish to eat on this day combines 7 kinds of vegetables – Green Peas, Celery, Spinach, Broccoli, Lettuce, Grapes and Chives (“Guo Choi”) in a dish eaten with plain rice porridge. This ensures you will always have an abundance of food to eat.

8th day of CNY (5^th Feb 2025) – Good Day for Celebrations

Good day to pray to the God of Heaven. Homes with main doors facing West, Northeast and South are especially lucky today and should invite friends over to celebrate. It is not, however, a good day for the Boar.

9th day of CNY (6^th Feb 2025) – Birthday of the Jade Emperor

Today is the Birthday of the Jade Emperor, and an important date for the people of Hokkien origin. Typical offerings on the midnight of the 8th day (Rat Hour) include a pair of Sugar Cane, Joss Sticks, 7 cups of Chinese Tea, 7 cups of Rice Wine, 7 plates of fresh fruits, a Roast Pig, 2 bouquets of flowers, and Gold Paper folded into the shape of an ingot for burning as an offering.

If the morning of the 9th day is sunny with clear skies, it indicates a year of big profits, while a day of cloudy skies and rain indicates potential loss.

Today is a good day for homes facing West, Northeast and Northwest to have their lion dance performance.

10th to 12th day of CNY (7^th – 9^th Feb 2025) – Good days for Feasting

These 3 days are suitable for additional feasting with friends and family. It is a good time for renewing old friendships and making new contacts. This is because the early days are reserved for family, so friends and networking are given more priority during these 3 days.

13th day of CNY (10^th Feb 2025) – Good day to be vegetarian

After so many days of feasting and eating rich food, it is good to have vegetarian food today to cleanse the stomach. A popular vegetarian breakfast would consist of hot soy bean milk, eaten with savory ‘Ham Chim Peng’ – (Asian fried bread).

This is a good day for those born in the years of the Rabbit. Not a good day for the Dragon to gamble.

14th day of CNY (11^th February 2025) – Chap Goh Meh

Preparations are made for celebrating Chap Goh Meh. These include making “Tong Yuen”or rice balls; soft dumplings filled with sweet fillings such as sesame seed, lotus seed, peanuts or red bean paste. The dumplings are served in a sweet soup cooked with ginger. It is a very good day to visit relatives.

Chap Goh Meh – Last Day of Chinese New Year (12^th February 2025)

This day is known as “Yuen Xiao”, the Chinese Peach Blossom Day benefiting all couples in love. In the past, single women would toss oranges written with descriptions of their desired partner into the river to seek a husband. However, in today’s modern world, men are also known to practice this in order to find a suitable wife.

Candles are lit in a paper lantern and hung up on the outside of homes, and “Tong Yuen” is often eaten as dessert on the final celebration dinner of the year. In areas where a river is not available, Sky Lanterns with wishes written on them are set free to soar into the heavens in search for potential mates. This is another good day to be vegetarian.