We could all use a little more luck

February 16th marks the Chinese New Year and while we’re all thrilled to get an extra day off of work, we should still keep in mind that the holiday is actually centuries-deep in culture and tradition. 2018 is us saying goodbye to the Year of the Rooster (and all the bad that came with it) and us saying hello to the Year of the Dog (and everything it can bring us).

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Douse yourself in pomelo water

According to feng shui expert Princess Lim Fernandez, it’s best to cleanse yourself in the night of Chinese New Year’s Eve (February 15) as a symbol of washing away the bad luck and bad energy from the year that’s about to pass. But to up your game even more, bathe yourself with pomelo water (AKA water boiled with pomelo leaves) as a symbol of welcoming all the good of the Year of the Earth Dog.

Rearrange your furniture

It might seem like a lot of work, but rearranging your furniture is really important in creating an environment that will help you for the next twelve months. Assess the feng shui of your office and your home and while it would be best to consult with an expert, here are some basics to keep in mind: 

—Living room: clutter free, full of air and light, include different shapes and materials and avoid sha chi (bad energy) by ensuring that no sharp points are directly pointing at seating areas

—Bedroom: remove any TVs, computers or exercise equipment, leave the windows open when possible, don’t align the bed to the door and have both sides of the bed easily accessible 

—Work space: keep it organized, have an indoor plan to improve air quality and only showcase artwork and imagery that inspire you

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Dress in wood and water

This year, we’re going to experience a surplus of the earth element and it’s suggested to balance this off in order to bring balance into our lives. One of the easier ways to do so is to dress in the elements of wood (green) and water (blue and black) throughout the year. To supplement this, you can also opt to dress in the elements of fire and metal (red, white and gold).

But when it comes to Chinese New Year’s Eve, keep away from black and white since these colors are tied closely to funerals and mourning in general. So during the festivities, keep it colorful with red, gold and other bright colors that represent wealth, luck and happiness.

Have a feast

Even if you aren’t Chinese and don’t fully take part of the New Year celebrations, there are a few things to keep on your table to bring in some luck. Have eight different round fruits on the table, such as watermelons, melons, apples, grapes, oranges, pomelo, mangoes and kiwi, as well as tikoy and a flower cake—of which looks like a giant siopao and is just as delicious. You might be wondering why eight is the suggested number of fruits, especially if your family has gotten used to 12 or 13 on the table. This is because the number eight means infinity and is thought to bring prosperity for the New Year.

Other staples are tikoy (the stickiness symbolizes unity), pineapples (placed on windows, as the eyes symbolize looking for success in different opportunities), a flower cake (reflect a blooming of character) and hopia (symbolizes hope).

Stay away from sales

It might be difficult to do with all the various sales about, but keep yourself away from shoes and books in particular. In Cantonese, “shoe” is a homonym for rough and in Mandarin is a homonym for evil, so buying new shoes during the Chinese New Year festivities is said to invite hard times. Meanwhile, “book” is a homonym for lose, so make sure to secure all reading material before the calendar hits February 16.

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If you’re careless when the New Year rings in, maybe the year will be careless with you, too. So before you start enjoying the long weekend, make sure to get everything settled to make the Year of the Earth Dog as great as it can be for you. There’s no harm in trying!