People have been warned to stay away from wearing one specific colour once the Chinese New Year celebrations begin on Tuesday (17th February), as it could ruin your 2026
Chinese New Year begins this Tuesday (17th February), and people have been warned to avoid wearing a specific colour to honour the holiday. The 15-day festival, also known as the Lunar New Year and the Spring Festival, is celebrated in several Asian cultures, including Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese, and it marks the start of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar.
Many cities across the UK will be hosting events to celebrate the Chinese New Year over the next two weeks, but one woman on social media has urged people to heed some very important advice ahead of the festival. Rachel, who is from Canada and Hong Kong, said people should avoid wearing one specific colour for the rest of 2026 once the Chinese New Year begins, as it could be a symbol of bad luck.
In a video on TikTok, Rachel explained that not only is 2026 the year of the horse, but it’s specifically the year of the fire horse. This means that fire, and by extension, the colour red, is already “at its peak” this year – and wearing red could tip the scales too far in one direction.
Red is traditionally seen as a lucky colour in Chinese culture, and many Chinese New Year decorations are often vivid shades of red because it’s believed it can scare away evil spirits.
However, 2026 actually marks a rare year where red isn’t seen as lucky. Many aspects of Chinese culture also believe in balance, so if you add more fiery tones to a year already marked by the fire horse, you could be going too far and could end up making your year a disaster.
Rachel said: “I know everyone’s telling you that red is THE lucky colour, especially in Asian cultures, but you need to know that 2026 is the year of the fire horse. Fire is already at its peak, so if you wear red, it’s almost like you’re adding gasoline to the fire. It could lead to burnout, bad tempers, and arguments.”
In order to “stay lucky” in this topsy-turvy year, Rachel instead recommends wearing colours that balance out the fire. This means it’s the year for earthy tones like dark greens or browns.
She added: “To stay lucky this year, you will need to balance out the heat. For example, this year it’s actually recommended to wear earth or wood colours. Think earth tones like beige, cream, or brown, to ground the energy. Or you can do wood tones like sage or forest green to keep the fire stable.”
For maximum luck in 2026, Rachel said there are even specific colours you can wear based on your zodiac sign. But for those just looking to avoid a Chinese New Year disaster, avoiding red is enough.
You also shouldn’t wear black or white clothing to any festival events you plan on attending. These are seen as mourning colours, and as the Chinese New Year is a celebration, these two shades should never be worn.
Commenters on Rachel’s video were confused about the festival and what they should and shouldn’t do to honour it. However, many said it’s more important to avoid black or white clothing than it is to avoid red, so if you only have something red to wear to your local celebrations, then that will be fine.
One person said: “If you wanna wear red, then wear it, who cares. Follow traditions. If people say its unlucky, then it is. I trust her because my local temple also says the same thing. To avoid wearing red.”
Another added: “Just don’t wear black or white, people. You’ll be fine. If you’re concerned, just wear something red. Like a scarf, a woven bracelet, or shoes.”
There are a variety of other things you shouldn’t do during the Chinese New Year either, including eating porridge for your breakfast or putting a load of laundry in the washing machine. And on the first day of celebrations on Tuesday (17th February), you should not wash your hair – so make sure you’ve had a shower tonight!
The China Highlights website explained: “Hair must not be washed on Chinese New Year’s Day, as it is seen as not a good thing to ‘wash one’s fortune away’ at the beginning of the New Year. Avoid cutting hair on this day, as it is believed that it might bring misfortune to uncles.”
