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The Lucky New Year: Rituals for a Fortunate Year Ahead

December is a month filled with festive cheer and magical moments. As the year draws to a close, it's a time to reflect and prepare for a lucky and prosperous new year ahead. So, what should you do and avoid during this month to ensure a lucky December? Find out now and embrace a month filled with good fortune and endless possibilities!

Administrator

7 August, 2024

Superstitions are a common part of many cultures, and in Vietnam, there are several beliefs surrounding the month of Chạp. Here are some tips to avoid bad luck and bring good fortune for the upcoming year:

Related: Top 29 Superstitions and Beliefs in Vietnam

1. Incense Offering

Offer incense at the beginning of the year for peace and good luck

In Vietnamese culture, the twelfth lunar month, Chạp, is considered a delicate time when one can easily lose what they have gained throughout the year. Whether you are a business owner or not, it is believed that offering incense on the first day of this month will bring peace and prosperity for the upcoming year.

Remember to pay respect to your ancestors and deities by offering incense and prayers for their blessings. You may offer a vegetarian or non-vegetarian meal, as long as it is done sincerely. When offering incense, it is customary to use an odd number of sticks, avoiding even numbers.

2. Eating Gac Rice

Eating Gac rice is believed to bring good luck

Gac rice is a traditional Vietnamese dish made with sticky rice and the fruit of the gac tree, which has a bright red-orange color. This color is considered auspicious, and eating Gac rice on the first day of Chạp is thought to bring good luck for the entire month.

Gac rice can also be offered as a vegetarian dish to the ancestors. After the offering, the family can share the dish, believing that it will bring health and good fortune for the month ahead.

3. Carrying Lucky Charms

Carry lucky charms according to your element

According to Vietnamese beliefs, carrying a lucky charm that corresponds to your element is essential for a fortunate month of Chạp. If you are an Earth sign, wrap a small amount of soil from your garden. Wood signs should carry salt, Metal signs should carry silver items, Fire signs should opt for wooden objects, and Water signs may carry a matchbox or lighter for good luck.

4. Bathing in Fresh Flower Water

Bathing in fresh flower water to wash away bad luck

In Vietnamese culture, bathing is seen as a way to cleanse oneself of bad luck and prepare for the new year. It is believed that using fresh flowers to bathe on the first day of Chạp will bring good luck and smooth sailing for the entire month.

Choose seven different types of colorful flowers, avoiding white flowers, which are associated with mourning. Place the petals or entire flowers in a basin of warm water, adding a few drops of essential oil if desired. Use this floral water to bathe, and you’ll be surrounded by the scent of flowers for the rest of the day, attracting good fortune and prosperity.

The next day, the floral scent will continue to bring you luck and make it easier to attract money during this last month of the year.

5. Eating Red Fruits

Eating red fruits for a lucky and prosperous month

Similar to the belief surrounding Gac rice, eating red fruits on the first day of Chạp is considered auspicious. Red fruits are seen as lucky charms, and consuming them is believed to bring good luck and financial abundance for the entire month.

Popular choices for this tradition include watermelon, dragon fruit, red apples, red grapes, and red bananas. These fruits can be offered as a sacrifice to the ancestors, and then shared among the family, bringing good fortune to all.

6. Things to Avoid on the First Day of Chạp

While the above-mentioned practices are believed to bring good luck, there are also some things to avoid during this sensitive time:

Lending Money

It is generally advisable to avoid lending money, especially on the first day of any month. However, as Chạp is the last month of the year, it is crucial to be cautious to prevent financial losses. Business owners, in particular, should refrain from lending money on this day, as it is believed that doing so will result in difficulties in recovering the debt before the new year.

Avoid lending money to prevent financial losses

Discussing Misfortune

Talking about unfortunate events on the first day of the month is considered inauspicious and may bring bad luck for the rest of the month. Avoid discussing topics such as illness, accidents, relationship problems, financial losses, theft, or product returns.

Haircuts

Superstition holds that getting a haircut on the first day of the month will bring bad luck and deplete your wealth. It is believed that doing so will cut away your luck, leading to unfortunate events. Therefore, it is best to choose another day for a haircut.

Avoid getting a haircut on the first day of the month

Breaking Objects

Breaking or dropping objects is considered a bad omen, so take extra care when handling items on this day to avoid any mishaps that could bring bad luck.

Related:

These are the dos and don’ts for the month of Chạp, following Vietnamese superstitions and beliefs. Incorporate these practices to bring good fortune to yourself and your family during this special time of the year.

Frequently asked questions

The article suggests several rituals for good luck in the upcoming year, including cleaning your house, paying off debts, wearing new clothes, and preparing a feast with family and friends.

Cleaning the house is believed to get rid of any bad luck from the previous year and create a fresh start for the new year. It is also a way to welcome the gods into your home, bringing blessings and prosperity.

Wearing new clothes symbolizes a fresh start and is believed to bring good luck and prosperity throughout the year. It is also a way to show respect to your ancestors and the gods.

Traditional foods mentioned in the article include Bánh Chưng (sticky rice cake), pickled onions, and boiled chicken. These foods are believed to bring good luck, prosperity, and health in the new year.

The article suggests paying off all debts before the new year, including loans, credit card debts, and any money borrowed from family or friends. This is believed to bring financial luck and a fresh start in the upcoming year.