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Is it bad luck to clean and do laundry on New Year's? The story behind the superstition

By
Amanda Cappelli
Digital Producer
Amanda Cappelli is a digital producer for CBS News & Stations. She writes about national news, politics and lifestyle.
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Amanda Cappelli

/ CBS News

If you've got New Year's Day off and a pile of laundry or leftover Christmas clutter lying around, you might be tempted to start the New Year off with a clean home. But could you be inviting bad luck for the year ahead? Superstition warns that if you haven't gotten around to cleaning by New Year's Eve, you should avoid it until Jan. 2. 

Why do some people avoid cleaning and laundry on New Year's?

One of the many widely discussed New Year's myths forewarns that washing clothes or laundry could cleanse you of any good fortune for the next 365 days. Similarly, taking out anything from the home that day could remove any future prosperity. An even darker superstition is that doing so could "wash away a loved one," meaning somebody could die in the next year. 

How and where did the superstition originate?

One theory attributes the superstition to China. 

Lunar New Year, typically celebrated in China and other Asian countries, has a similar superstition. According to , people should thoroughly clean their homes around 10 days before the new year starts in a custom called "sweeping of the grounds" to remove any lingering bad luck beforehand. Cleaning during the Lunar New Year, however, is thought to risk getting rid of any good luck accumulating in the home. Sweeping, taking out the garbage or even washing your hair should be .

Lunar New Year festivals date back thousands of years and are rooted in legends and tradition.

What are some ways to get good luck on New Year's?

In Spain, those celebrating the New Year eat a dozen grapes, one for each strike of the clock at midnight. According to , it's good luck if you can eat all the grapes in time. But make sure to eat all 12, the superstition goes — otherwise, the luck can go sour. 

In , people smash plates on their friends' or neighbors' doorsteps on New Year's Day, according to travel magazine Outlook Traveller. The more pieces that break apart, the better fortune. 

In Greece, they smash a pomegranate on New Year's Day to bring life and luck. The ancient Greeks believed that the fruit's seeds symbolized abundance, fertility and eternity, according to the .

is known for its legendary fireworks show in Rio de Janeiro, especially on New Year's Eve. In Portuguese, "Ano novo, vida nova" means new year, new life. Language learning program Pimsleur says that some Brazilians believe that it is good luck if you can hop seven waves at midnight. Each wave jumped over head-on is thought to grant the jumper a wish. 

In the U.S., it's common to celebrate the new year with a kiss at midnight. Some believe that it brings good luck and strengthens the relationship. Another American tradition is celebrating the new year with a countdown, fireworks and watching the ball drop in New York City's Times Square. 

Why does the ball drop in New York City? 

Back in the 1800s, only the rich had personal clocks and watches. So, a time ball would fall at a certain hour to inform the masses. In London, one of the first time balls went down at 1 p.m. to tell ships the time sailing down the River Thames, according to . 

The Times Square New Year's Eve Ball is an iteration of the time ball. The New York Times introduced the spectacle in 1907 when the city banned fireworks due to crowds. The design began as a wooden ball with lightbulbs. Now, the six-ton ball is made of crystal. 

Celebrate the new year however you wish, but if you're superstitious, maybe save the cleaning for one more day. 

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