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8 New Year’s Colors That Just May Bring You Good Luck in 2023

For an extra dose of good luck, incorporate these meaningful New Year's colors into your holiday celebrations

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New Year’s colors that bring good luck

Whether you’re watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve with a dazzling New Year’s Eve party or having an intimate get-together with close family and friends, take a second to imagine the vibe of the night. Is it festive and colorful? Is it cozy and filled with serene hues? One New Year’s tradition focuses on the power of color, specifically New Year’s colors known to bring good luck over the next 12 months.

Color science isn’t woo-woo nonsense. In fact, colors can evoke various emotions that affect your overall mood, motivation and energy. They can even inspire you to take action heading into the new year, says Angelo Randaci, a horticulturist who studies the meanings of colors and how they’re used.

Incorporating these New Year’s colors into your celebrations, decor or wardrobe is a great way to bring meaning, beauty, inspiration, optimism and perhaps even a little good luck into 2023. Wondering when New Year’s is this year? Once you’ve determined your color scheme, add the date to your calendar and begin planning your celebrations, festive drinks, New Year’s Eve food and where you’ll have your New Year’s kiss.

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Gold

Hoping to get out of debt or start a new business venture this year? This bright and metallic color symbolizes wealth and prosperity in many major cultures and is often seen as the totem of good luck and fortune. Add some gold accessories to your outfit or play with shimmering eye shadow to glam up your New Year’s makeup.

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Red

From fire-engine red and crimson to deep burgundy and warm rust, red hues are linked to passion in love, says Randaci. But this color also symbolizes passion in other areas of life, including new ambition in your career or hobbies. The color is popular in Chinese culture and represents the Lunar New Year, symbolizing luck, joy and happiness. For prosperity and protection, wear a red string bracelet.

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White

“In our Western culture, the color white is associated with a sense of purity, cleanliness and freshness,” Randaci says. This makes it one of the luckiest New Year’s colors for those looking to start 2023 with a clean slate. Try an all-white color scheme for your party decor or attire, or dress up your New Year’s nails with a sparkling snow-white manicure.

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Green

Associated with wisdom, prosperity, fresh starts and growth, shades of green are lucky and fortunate New Year’s colors for those who want to turn over a new leaf (ahem) on Jan. 1. While brighter greens are the hallmark of springtime, darker greens are associated with wisdom learned over the years, one of the themes of “Auld Lang Syne.” Try an emerald-green serving tray to serve festive drinks.

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Blue

Wishing for peace in your relationships, your home or around the world in the new year? Hoping to embrace moments of peace and serenity? Randaci suggests the color blue, which conjures images of the water and sky, two things humans find inherently calming. Start your day with calming quotes, scroll through some of the most calming pictures and consider framing something scenic, like ocean-themed canvas art, to create a tranquil space in your home.

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Yellow

“Yellow is considered the highest-energy color and evokes feelings of cheerfulness, hope and optimism,” Randaci says. One of the cheeriest New Year colors, yellow is known to bring luck with energy and good vibes, sparking new ideas and fun. Make prints of your favorite New Year’s quotes, or light up a room with this neon good-vibes sign.

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Silver

This shimmery color evokes both strength and dignity through adversity, making it one of the luckiest New Year’s colors for those going through tough times. Silver hair is the hallmark of the refinement that comes with aging, after all. So celebrate the future with metallic decor, shiny disco balls and festive party supplies, like a set of silver foil 2023 balloons.

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Pink

From bubblegum and rose gold to flamingo and Barbie pink, this cheery hue is all about finding your happy. If you don’t feel like revamping your home with paint (raspberry blush is Benjamin Moore’s 2023 paint color of the year!), adding small pops of pink to your wardrobe or home (with wallpaper or drawer liners) has the power to spark small moments of joy in your day.

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Charlotte Hilton Andersen
Charlotte Hilton Andersen is a health, lifestyle and fitness expert and teacher. She covers all things wellness for Reader’s Digest and The Healthy. With dual masters degrees in information technology and education, she has been a journalist for 17 years and is the author of The Great Fitness Experiment. She lives in Denver with her husband, five kids and three pets.