Giving Red Envelopes Chinese New Year

Hong bao 红包 packets literally red envelope are the traditional gifts that adults give children during the chinese new year holiday period.

Giving red envelopes chinese new year.

If you are giving a red envelope there are a few points to remember. Here are the most common scenarios for giving red envelopes during chinese new year. But red envelopes are not limited to chinese new year. The custom of giving red envelopes originates in some of the oldest stories of chinese new year.

It is a traditional way to wish good luck and share blessings. From parents to their children it s traditional to leave a red envelope with two tangerines leaves on of course by a child s bedside on new year s eve. Unlike a western greeting card red envelopes given at chinese new year are typically left unsigned. Cash enclosed by red paper or red envelope is affectionately given to more young individuals by the elders.

In practice children can even mean unmarried young adults. For birthdays or weddings a short message typically a four character expression and signature is optional. During the chinese new year in southern china red envelopes are typically given by the married to the unmarried most of whom are children. Unlike a western greeting card red envelopes given at chinese new year are typically left unsigned.

It is common to give a red envelope during some special occasions such as a wedding graduation the birth of a baby or a senior person s birthday. In chinese and certain other south asian people and nations a specific red envelope or red parcel is utilized for gifting cash on new year s day. For birthdaysor weddings a short message typically a four character expression and signature are optional. In northern and southern china red envelopes are typically given by the elders to the younger under 25 30 in most of the three northeastern provinces regardless of marital status.

Red envelopes also called red packets lucky money or hongbao in chinese are a popular monetary gift given on some important occasions or festivals in china and some other asian countries especially widely seen during the chinese new year spring festival. As the legend goes a demon known as sui terrorized children while they slept on new year s eve. Red envelopes are known as hongbao in mandarin and lai see in cantonese. Chinese new year is a red envelope season.