It is important to start with the reunion dinner on Chinese New Year eve. The family would gather together and have a meal. The dishes served would have auspicious meanings. In some families who adhere to traditional ways, the children would try to stay awake the whole night. This is called "sau sui" or "looking after ones age" if literally translated. The Chinese believe that by doing so their parents would live to a ripe old age.
During the talk by Jason Eng, he told us that the Ang Pow could be given after welcoming in the new year at night. The ang pow with money in it can be placed under the pillow to secure wealth luck for 2008. Also make sure that the rice urn and refrigerators are filled before the new year as this symbolises abundance. I am very "kiasu" and even go and fill my petrol tank and water tank in my bathroom.
Jason also advised us not to pray to the God of Wealth on the first day of the year as by doing so, we might also welcome the "Wicked God" or "Hock Sun" who will also be coming from the west.
Also try not to open a door of your house if it faces a bad direction. Try to use an alternative door. If all the doors in the house are facing bad directions, then he taught us to hold a knife in one hand and sort of make the action of cutting the air when the door is first open. This action is supposed to contain the negative energies that might come rushing in.
Here are the directions for the first day of the CNY:
Wealth God: West
God of Happiness: South
God of Nobility: Northwest
Auspicious door: Northwest
5 Ghosts: East
Death door: East
Wicked God: West
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