New Year New Haircut?
By squaretile
@squaretile (3778)
Singapore
January 9, 2008 8:57pm CST
It is almost a tradition for people to have a new haircut before the Lunar New Year.
I'm not sure how it is for the New Year of 1 Jan usually. Do you cut your hair to symbolise a new beginning?
In my country, hairdressers start to increase their prices a fortnight before Lunar New Year. Then magically after the Lunar New Year holiday, the prices fall again.
Well, I guess in a sense it is sheer profiteering, but in another sense it's market forces at work. Increased demand leads to increased prices if the supply stays constant. After all, you can't have more hairdressing salons open for a month and then shutting down thereafter.
Are you planning to get a new haircut if you celebrate Lunar New Year?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
15 Jan 08
I do cut my hair before the new year. Like you mentioned, it is to symbolize the beginning of a new year.
New year, new clothes, new socks, new underwear, new shoes... so naturally, new hair cut as well. Heh heh heh heh heh...
And it is also that one time a year where people will cut their hair, no matter what the price is. So hair dressers and barbers across the island take this opportunity to increase the price just for the festive period.
And if you pay attention, it is only during the Chinese New year that such a thing happen. You don't see it happening for the Hari Raya or the Deepavali period.
@ahgong (10064)
• Singapore
28 Jan 08
Hey, I just noticed the best response. Thanks for awarding it to me.
I am not sure about the price increase of haircut during festive season for the Puasa and the Haji even though I went back to Malaysia during those periods.
I do know for sure goodies like festive cookies and sweets always go up for sure. Regardless of which religion it is.
I will try to pay more attention to the price of haircut the next time I get to go back during the holidays of other festivals. ;)
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
16 Jan 08
maybe that's due to the racial composition of our country. perhaps in malaysia, the haircut price increases around hari raya... not sure...
@Madona1 (2096)
• Gibraltar
15 Jan 08
I haven’t planned yet. But I have to admit it makes sense. New Year, new resolution and new hairstyle. Though there is no such custom here, we do like to go to the hairdresser for a haircut or wash and blow dry before the Christmas as everyone wants to look good and cool for once, especially on this particular festival.
1 person likes this
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
16 Jan 08
yes everyone wants to look good before meeting a whole bunch of people!
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
10 Jan 08
I just had my hair done two days ago for a wedding that I am going to in Hawaii in about six hours. I got it relaxed and dyed the greys over and had it styled. Cost me a bit but its the most I spend on a haircut at least once a year.
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@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
10 Jan 08
that's nice. i think hair treatments can be therapeutic sometimes too!
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
12 Jan 08
Probably I guess... but lol, I don't even know when the new year is.
I normally just cut when it gets unwieldy long.
But I guess one should be neat when meeting uncles and aunties.
@cooldude_no1 (883)
• Malaysia
10 Jan 08
Definitely I will have my haircut, but I am planning to leave a small "mouse tail" at the back of my hair. Afterall, it is the year of the rat. =P Happy Lunar New Year to all Chinese.
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