Avoid buying new shoes on New Year’s Day to prevent encountering difficulties or instability in the coming year.

Avoid Buying Shoes on New Year's Day for Luck

Details

This superstition advises people to avoid purchasing shoes on January 1st, as doing so is believed to bring hardship or instability throughout the year. The reasoning lies in a phonetic similarity: in some Chinese dialects, the word for ‘shoes’ (鞋, xié) resembles the word for ‘rough’ (邪, xié or 苦, kǔ), suggesting a rocky or troubled path. As a preventive measure, many will ensure they buy or replace footwear before the New Year begins. The superstition is strongest in cultural contexts where pun-based beliefs are significant, especially in parts of East and Southeast Asia. Adherents may also avoid gifting shoes for Lunar New Year, as this is thought to cause breakups or bad luck in relationships. In contrast to Western gift-giving norms, where shoes may be perceived as stylish or thoughtful, these traditions frame them as potentially inauspicious symbols of discord or hardship.

Historical Context

While the exact origins are unclear, this superstition is likely rooted in Chinese and other East Asian linguistic and cultural traditions. Wordplay is an important part of various superstitions within Chinese culture—where tonal similarities between words can carry symbolic significance. For instance, the phonetic resemblance between ‘shoes’ and ‘rough’ associates new footwear with difficulties and instability. This idea may have grown during times when shoes were symbolically tied to journeys and life paths, implying that how you start your year’s ‘walk’ could impact your fortune. New Year’s Day also marks the beginning of an energetic cycle in Chinese tradition (whether Gregorian or Lunar), making symbolic actions on this day especially consequential in folk belief. Through centuries of oral tradition and community reinforcement, this superstition has become widespread, especially among traditional Chinese households.

Modern Relevance

Today this superstition remains prevalent across parts of Asia, particularly in Chinese and Southeast Asian communities during the Gregorian and Lunar New Year periods. In modern urban culture, where consumer habits often intersect with tradition, some people continue to avoid buying shoes on January 1st as a symbolic precaution, choosing instead to make such purchases beforehand. Online forums, lifestyle blogs, and social media platforms discuss this superstition annually, often listing it among other New Year’s dos and don’ts. While some younger generations view it as outdated, others still practice it out of respect for elders or cultural heritage. Popular media, including Hong Kong lifestyle sites and Lunar New Year guides, may reference this practice among others meant to optimize luck and prosperity. Retailers in certain regions are aware of the custom and may shift marketing strategies accordingly around the Lunar New Year period.

Sources

Wong, W. (2009). Chinese Customs and Traditions. Areca Books.

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