To many Chinese, the seventh month of the Lunar calendar is also the Hungry Ghost Month, one that is typically considered an inauspicious time to get married or buy property.
This year, it is going to be exceptionally long - from July 25 to September 21 - due to a quirk in the Lunar calendar that sees two 7th months back to back.
The actual one starts from July 25 to August 23, followed immediately after by the leap month, which comes every two to three years.
Dr Neo Peng Fu, Assistant Professor of Department of Chinese Studies, National University of Singapore, said: "For the month of the calendar, it follows the cyclical movement of the Moon, whereas for the year, it tries to accord with the cycle of the Sun. Therefore, a year in the Chinese calendar has a total of 354 days. That is to say, the year of the Chinese calendar is about 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year. To solve this problem, it uses the method of adding an extra month to the calendar every two to three years."
The Chinese also developed a system of tracking the Earth's path around the Sun with a system of "solar nodes".
Most months have two of these nodes, and a month with just one node would have a leap month inserted in the calendar after it.
This year, it happens to be the 7th month.
Academics say that strictly speaking, traditions and rites should only be observed in the first Hungry Ghost Month and not the second leap month.
But that has not prevented some Singaporeans from being superstitious about things like weddings.
A check with Singapore hotels showed most have few or no wedding banquets during this period.
One major hotel said it had no wedding reservations until late September.
Hotels say they will be making up for the business lost with events like conventions and meetings.
There has also been a significant drop in the number of marriages registered.
While nearly 1,000 couples tied the knot during the Hungry Ghost Month last year, only 900 will be doing it in the first 7th month and just over 600 the following month.
Some mothers have also avoided giving birth in the 7th month.
Doctors said they saw an increase in demand for caesarean sections just before the Hungry Ghost Month.
But property experts do not expect to see a big decline in sales, citing last year's figures which fell by less than 5 percent.
They said that families usually move into new homes at the end of the year, which means they have to make their purchases in September. - CNA/ir
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