It will be Lunar New Year’s Eve tomorrow and Chinese-Filipinos or Chinoys are well into preparations to ring in the Year of the Pig.

Bunches of kiat kiat (small mandarin oranges) are displayed around the home to symbolize financial luck. Treats such as candies and tikoy or sweet sticky rice cakes are served aplenty. Sweet treats for a sweet life, they say. The stickiness of the glutinous rice is also thought to symbolize unity in the family.

These arrangements are in full swing at home and with equal fervor, if not more, in Chinoy-owned business establishments. It is not uncommon to see a bowl filled with rice grains and topped with huat kueh (rice cakes), candies, coins or red packets (with money inside!) displayed in shops and homes as part of Chinese New Year celebrations.

Red clothes are readied or bought and worn to usher in an auspicious year. Red, an especially lucky color, is worn not just on New Year’s Eve and day but also during birthdays. An uncle of mine and several of my friends of Chinese ancestry have gotten into the habit of wearing red most Mondays of the year. According to them, this attracts prosperity at the start of each and every work week.

Incense sticks are in high demand this time of year. They are lit and offered in prayer on corner tables or places of honor that hold photographs of dear departed ancestors. This is done to remember, thank and honor them.

Food is always a big hit. Another reason to come together and celebrate. There is food for all who are gathered and there is even food laid out as an offering.

The most popular Chinese New Year practice for many young ones is the giving out of red envelopes or packets with money inside. This is meant to bring luck to one’s finances. Grandparents, parents, aunties and uncles generously distribute these to children, young or even older kids alike.

Now you may dismiss all of this as no more than mere hogwash. But if you personally knew these people who I am talking about, you may be inclined to give these practices a bit of thought. All of them seem to be doing well in their businesses and with their finances. They really do look like they have had some good and lucky cards dealt them, or perhaps they have just dealt well with what they have been given. Pure coincidence? That may be so.

To succeed in anything you need to couple the “red” positive vibes with a lot of hard work, determination and a will to see things through to fruition. As Thomas Edison once said, there really is no substitute for hard work

As my family, friends and I greet one another Kiong Hee Huat Tsai (Hokkien/Fookien) or Kung Hei Fat Choi (Cantonese) on Tuesday, I will continue full steam ahead towards achieving my New Year’s resolutions. I reckon it does not hurt to continue on wearing red on New Year’s Eve, day and quite often throughout the year for good measure.