‘Biggest gamble for Chinese’: haircut before Lunar New Year custom to prevent bad luck also sparks hilarity
- Belief says cut in first lunar month brings misery, must trim before festival
- People dubbed ‘haircut gamblers’ risk unwanted new look, regret decision
With the Spring Festival under way, hair salons have already gone through their busiest time, driven by the Chinese tradition of having a haircut to welcome the new year with a fresh look.
This practice stems from an old belief that cutting hair in the first lunar month can bring misfortune to a maternal uncle, hence having a trim before the festival to avoid bad luck.
The custom has resulted in mainland social media, humorously labelling a haircut at that time of year as “the biggest gamble for Chinese people.”
Some people even dub themselves “haircut gamblers,” when they venture into unfamiliar hair salons and trust unknown stylists with their New Year look – a decision they often regret.
“Based on my experience, nine out of 10 gambles result in a loss,” one person said.
Social media is filled with stories of haircut gambles gone wrong, with the sharing of before-and-after photos, and the expectations versus the reality of their salon visits.