It's your turn to dole out red packets this Chinese New Year, but you're unsure on exactly what to do? Don't fret, we're here to help transform any red packet noobs into lai see giving masters!
Whether you’re ringing in Year of the Snake at the fabulous restaurant you reserved months in advance or celebrating the occasion at home, one thing is to be expected when you’re just about to bite into a festive pudding or a steaming hot CNY dumpling: pairs of tiny hands extending before cute little faces, sheepishly asking for one thing – red packets, aka lai see, aka auspiciously tinted packages that hide both the cash within and your silent despair of giving away your hard earned money…
Jokes aside, the practice of giving and receiving red packets has a beautiful history in Chinese tradition. If you do it right, a prosperous and fortunate year ahead on the Lunar calendar is promised. So, without further delay, we’re here to help you maximise the red packet magic with a few simple steps!
5 steps to give red packets like an OG
Step 1: Fresh dolla bills
Remember to only include a single, crisp banknote in each red packet. To gift your desired amount, simply give multiple packets with one bill in each. Coins are avoided because, nowadays, red packets containing coins are given out at Chinese funerals. The popular move is to retrieve fresh-off-the-print notes straight from the bank, so make sure to visit your local branch in advance to avoid long queues. It’s likely you’ll be giving out red packets in different amounts dependent on who the receiver is (more on that below), so it’s a good idea to withdraw stacks of $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills to accommodate different social scenarios.
Step 2: Mind your numbers
Once you’ve acquired fresh banknotes, it’s time to decide how much money the receiver will be getting from you. Two ironclad rules are to stick to even numbers and to avoid any amount that involves the number “4” (widely believed to be an unlucky number in Chinese cultures).
You can give smaller amounts ($10 – $20) to someone you barely know but want to be polite to, such as waiters and taxi drivers. The next level ($20 – $50) is probably the red packets you’ll reach for the most, given to those you’re not familiar with but who are closely connected to your everyday. Think colleagues, unmarried acquaintances as well as the doormen and maintenance staff at your residential and work buildings. The red packets holding higher values ($100 – $1,000) are reserved for loved ones. Only whip them out when you see family members, children of close friends, that single friend who’s always your third wheel and visitors who come to your home during CNY.
Step 3: Time it right
Take a look at the Lunar calendar to mark the first day of Chinese New Year; Year of the Snake starts on 29 Janurary 2025. Expect to distribute red packets for 15 days straight until Spring Lantern Festival, which will be 12 February this year.
It’s also important to gift red packets when you first greet the receiver, so present them immediately when you arrive at a gathering; not during, and definitely not when you’re about to leave. It’s all about starting the new year and any celebratory occasion on a high note!
Step 4: Jazz hands
Just as red packets are gifted in even numbers, you should always give and receive lai see with both hands. Not only is this a simple gesture to show respect and gratitude, it also represents the Chinese proverb “good things come in pairs”.
Modern lai see practices stem from ancient superstitious customs of gifting coins to ward off the evil spirit “Sui” (祟), who roams around in the late hours of New Year’s Eve and attacks those in slumber. Therefore the monetary value of the red packet isn’t as important as its symbolism for blessing the recipient with good luck and safety. So, just as a receiver should never ask or peek inside the envelope to determine what’s inside, you, as the giver, should also never mention what you’ve included in the envelope.
Step 5: Shout it!
The ritual of exchanging red packets isn’t complete without expressions of well wishes and blessings. Traditional sayings usually contain four Chinese characters that deliver a variety of well-intentioned meanings. Friends and peers tend to keep things light, wishing each other great wealth, good fortune and fulfilled dreams in the coming year. When speaking to your elders, choose greetings that wish for good health, longevity as well as peace and safety. In response, older generations tend to bless younger recipients with luck in their studies or vitality and smooth sailing for professional success.
When you’ve chosen the phrases you want to deliver, remember to say them loud and proud. Apparently, the energy you put behind your blessings determines the “effectiveness” of your words. So, don’t be shy! Shout your “Kung Hei Fat Choy”s with a big smile, and enjoy being showered with boisterous greetings in return.
