9. China – Cleaning and Sweeping in a Specific Direction
The Chinese New Year takes place outside of the traditional striking of midnight on the first of January, known as the Spring Festival. It ties in to the turn of the lunar-solar Chinese calendar. Once the Spring Festival starts, homes are cleaned completely, but sweeping is done towards the center of the home. This is to ensure any fortunes left in the house are not swept out. Once all of the dirt is collected, it is discarded through the backdoor. The tradition is not meant to start until the third day of the festival as the first two days allow the lingering fortunes of the previous year to stay within the home.