As the glow of Christmas and New Year’s fades into the winter lull and the rest of the world tries to return to pre-holiday routines, China gears up for the year’s biggest celebration: Chinese New Year. Unlike January 1, which arrives like clockwork, Chinese New Year follows the new moon, making its date shift every year. 

The only sure thing about the timing? Chinese New Year will land somewhere between January 21 and February 20. In 2027, it falls on February 6. The celebration traditionally stretches from New Year’s Day to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. That’s more than two weeks of festivities, and a wide window of opportunity for American tourists to unknowingly commit a cringeworthy gaffe or two. And according to Chinese New Year traditions and beliefs, these slip-ups could even jinx your luck for the coming year. You don’t want to be that tourist.

Thankfully, following the locals’ lead and doing a little research go a long way. Customs vary by region and family, but small details like wearing the wrong color or offering gifts considered unlucky can raise a few eyebrows, sometimes even before you’ve had a chance to wish your host the customary “xin nian kuai le” (Happy New Year). Consider this your cheat sheet for a smooth-sailing Chinese New Year, and may the only thing you set off be firecrackers.

Take note, minimalist fashionistas: Chinese New Year is not the time to flaunt that all-black ensemble or timeless white capsule collection. In Chinese culture, black is associated with power and authority, though on occasions like New Year’s Day, it takes on a different meaning: evil and misfortune. Meanwhile, white is the traditional color of mourning, closely tied to funerals. 

An all-white outfit is best avoided during New Year festivities, a lesson Sydney’s local city council learned the hard way in 2022. The city’s Chinatown was decorated with blue-and-white lanterns, and it goes without saying that the Chinese-Australian community was less than pleased. Instead, take your cues from the holiday’s ubiquitous color: red.

Red symbolizes everything the New Year stands for: luck, prosperity, and happiness. You’ll see it everywhere, not just in clothing but in traditional decorations like lanterns, paper cuttings, and couplets — red paper banners bearing calligraphy and posted on either side of a door frame. It’s also the color of cash-stuffed envelopes handed out to children, and the firecrackers believed to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. The festival also highlights other colors. Gold, symbolizing nobility, success, and fortune, is often paired with red to create a vibrant, celebratory palette. And while you’re at it, wear something new to welcome fresh beginnings and change in the coming year, or at least leave your most worn-out clothes in the closet.

The best gifts are the ones with a lot of thought put into them, and that’s just as true during Chinese New Year. But thoughtfulness alone isn’t enough. During the holiday, gift-giving follows its own set of rules, which American tourists unfamiliar with the dos and don’ts can easily trip over. Because the customs are steeped in tradition and symbolism, certain items can unintentionally offend a host, however well-meaning your gesture. If these gift rules aren’t already among the biggest things that surprise tourists visiting China during the New Year, they should be.

When it comes to gift-giving, symbolism can outweigh the present itself. Take handkerchiefs: their association with funerals and farewells makes them a gift to avoid. Even the go-to scented candle can give your host pause, since candles can evoke funerals. White hats are also better left off your shopping list, as they’re traditionally associated with mourning. And while we’re on the subject, never gift a green hat, unless you’re hinting at their partner cheating.

And then there are gifts that land you in hot water just because of how their names sound. With Mandarin having a limited supply of syllables — only 400 or so to work with — changes in tone create different words that can sound frustratingly alike. Offer someone a clock, and you may as well be hinting at their funeral; an umbrella could imply a breakup; and books could be misconstrued as wishing someone failure. To play it safe, consider bringing a box of sweets or a gift of mandarin oranges instead.

Red envelopes — called hongbao — are everywhere during Chinese New Year, and the mere sight of one signals the start of the holidays for children. Containing cash as a symbol of fortune and blessings, hongbao are given to kids and young adults by their elders, a custom that dates back as far as the 10th century. But they aren’t reserved exclusively for children, as unmarried adults and employees can also receive one.

If you’re an American tourist planning to give or receive a hongbao, brush up on the etiquette. Use fresh envelopes and make sure the banknotes are new and crisp. If you’re offered one, accept it with both hands as a sign of respect. As exciting as it is to receive one, don’t open it in public, and certainly not in front of the giver. Counting cash on the spot is poor form.

Ready to gift a red envelope but unsure how much to put inside? Let the symbolism of Chinese numbers guide you. Favor amounts containing eight, the lucky number tied to wealth and success, or six, which is associated with smooth progress. Steer clear of the number four, which sounds like the word for “death.” Or skip paper and turn to technology instead. China’s digital game is strong, and red-envelope gifting has evolved along with it. After all, China is a nearly cashless country where tourists likely need mobile wallets. Put that to good use by sending virtual red envelopes through WeChat, the most widely used messaging and payment app in China.

Of all the best destinations to celebrate the Lunar New Year, China is hard to beat. Mingling with the locals during this special holiday is an experience in itself. Seasoned tourists may already be aware of the three T’s that shouldn’t be brought up during trips to China, but the holiday adds more off-limits words to that list. So, however at ease you feel mid-conversation, choose your words wisely: saying the wrong one can sour the festive mood fast.

Avoid words like death, sickness, loss, kill, break, or pain at all costs. This goes hand in hand with reining in your temper during a holiday gathering or celebration, unless you want an argument to snowball into a year of misfortune and turbulence for yourself and the people around you. Some parents even hold off on scolding their kids, believing that doing so during the holiday guarantees a whole year of bad behavior. Don’t let this stifle the conversation, though. Break the ice with a Happy New Year greeting of “xin nian kuai le,” and follow up with a warm “gong xi fa cai” — a wish for good fortune — when handing out red envelopes.

Chinese festivities are large, lively affairs. Think tables laden with food, the clink of glasses and chopsticks, and the animated conversation amid a tight crush of family and friends. Factor in children running merrily around, and you have a clumsy person’s nightmare. 

During Chinese New Year, breaking a glass or a plate, especially on New Year’s Day, doesn’t carry the same weight as it would on a normal day. That simple accident turns into an ominous foreboding for the year ahead, hinting at losses or family rifts. So if you’re an American tourist who’s just broken a glass or dropped a plate, an apology and an offer to clean might not be the only things your host has in mind.

Luckily, there’s a traditional antidote: the phrase “sui sui ping an,” which is believed to cancel out the bad luck. Think of it as a pun to the rescue, in which the Mandarin word for “break” is swapped for the similar-sounding “year.” And just like that, crisis averted: the mishap becomes a hearty wish for a safe and peaceful year instead. Just don’t reach for a broom, unless you want to dim the year’s outlook even further. Sweeping on New Year’s Day is another traditional taboo, as it’s believed to sweep away the household’s good fortune. Some also follow the custom of wrapping broken pieces in red paper or cloth and waiting until the fifth day of the lunar year to throw them away. Err on the side of safety, though: if tiny shards are left behind and you simply must bust out the broom, consider sweeping inwards, which is said to keep the luck inside the house.