Lunar New Year in Taiwan: Why Do Daughters Wait Until Day Two?

Every time I watch a Christmas movie, I find myself wondering: how do couples decide whose family to spend the holidays with? Does one partner ever feel upset about not spending it with their own parents? In Taiwan, we face a similar holiday dilemma: why do married daughters wait until the second day of the Lunar New Year to return to their childhood home?

Much like how Western families gather for a festive meal on Christmas Eve, Lunar New Year is the most important time for family reunions in Taiwan. But unlike the more flexible traditions of the West, Taiwanese New Year comes with a unique custom: married daughters traditionally wait until the second day of the new year to return to their parents’ home.

This practice dates back to Taiwan’s agrarian past, where women, once married, were considered part of their husband’s family. The idea was that a married woman should celebrate the new year with her in-laws, not her birth family. Returning too early was even seen as bad luck for her parents. That is why, on the second day of the new year, daughters are finally welcomed home, not just on their own, but often with their husbands and children in tow. The daughter’s family typically prepares a lavish lunch to welcome them, symbolizing blessings for her marriage and a gesture of respect toward the son-in-law. Every year, I watch in awe as my mom whips up twelve dishes in two hours flat, her way of expressing joy, pride, and a little motherly magic.

A Shift in Tradition: Taking Turns for the New Year

As times change and social norms evolve, this long-standing tradition has begun to take on new forms. The old mindset that placed men’s families above women’s has steadily faded, replaced by a more equal partnership between spouses. In many modern Taiwanese households, the idea of “taking turns for the new year” is becoming increasingly common.

Instead of always spending New Year’s Eve at the husband’s family home, many couples now alternate: one year with the husband’s family, the next with the wife’s. This shift challenges the traditional notion that daughters-in-law must always spend the holiday with their in-laws, and instead offers a more balanced way for couples to honor both sides of the family.

Though the custom of returning to one’s parents’ home on the second day of the new year still holds strong in many households, the rise of this more flexible approach is quietly reshaping how Taiwanese families celebrate the holiday. It reflects not only a broader cultural shift toward equality, but also Taiwan’s ongoing search for harmony between honoring tradition and embracing change.