Before New Year's Eve
The celebration actually starts on New Year's Eve with the family reunion dinner. By New Year's Eve, you should have done the following
Clean the entire home to get rid of all the things that are associated with the old year.
Put away all brooms and brushes.
Pay all your debts.
Resolve differences with family members, friends, neighbors and business associates.
Buy the following
Red money envelopes,
Oranges and/or tangerines,
Fill a “Cheun hup(a circular red tray separated in eight compartments) with melon seedslotuschocolate coinsnuts etc.
Flowers (especially plum blossoms, peach blossoms, water lilies),
A new set of clothes and shoes for children, preferably something red or orange.
Get new dollar bills from the bank. Insert the new dollar bills into the red envelopes. Now the red envelope is called a lai see or lucky money envelope.