The Chinese zodiac consists of 12 animals that alternately exert influence every year, all the time in the identical order. The snake occupies the sixth place within the cycle – the others, so as, are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, horse, sheep, money, rooster, dog and pig. (In Vietnam they rejoice the cat as an alternative of the hare and the buffalo as an alternative of the ox.)
In 2025, Chinese New Year, commonly celebrated as Lunar New Year in East Asian and Southeast Asian communities, falls on Wednesday, January 29, and marks the beginning of two weeks of family reunions, lavish celebrations, and the giving and receiving of “lucky money.” in small red envelopes.
When is lucky money given?
Lucky money envelopes – called in Cantonese and Mandarin – are distributed to children and, in some places, to seniors in the primary two weeks of the Lunar New Year until the primary full moon, a day called the Spring Festival or Lantern Festival (in 2025, February 12).
Once you are married, it’s always your turn at hand out envelopes, and also you yourself receive fewer envelopes. However, there aren’t any hard and fast rules – for instance, single adults may also donate to younger relatives and youngsters of friends. People often give lucky money to their service providers. My parents bring red envelopes for the waiters at their regular dim sum shop.
How much money are we talking about?
Before I got married, I received $5 or $10 from each relative and $20 from each parent for Chinese New Year. In general, the closer your relationship is to the recipient, the more lucky money you give. The quantity is less necessary than the mood wherein the gift is presented – in Chinese culture, the colour red symbolizes happiness and happiness.
Lucky money can also be donated on special occasions reminiscent of birthdays, weddings, graduations and the birth of a baby. And the envelopes aren’t all the time red – you will discover every part from cartoon rainbow versions to stylish gold envelopes. Canada’s major banks often hand out packets of branded envelopes when customers pick up fresh recent bills for the New Year (making a gift of old, wrinkled money is taken into account bad etiquette). And in Asia, you possibly can send digital “red packets” via WeChat, Alipay, Tencent QQ and other financial platforms.
What else are you able to give for Chinese New Year?
When many Chinese families visit relatives, they carry traditional sweets and snacks for the New Year. Oranges, clementines, grapefruits and kumquats are also popular gifts – they symbolize abundance, happiness and happiness.
Lunar New Year is heavily commercialized, even in countries outside of Asia. My inbox is cluttered with emails from lifestyle and luxury brands promoting Year of the Snake merchandise, from handbags and jewellery to beauty sets and Lego sets, and everybody from Joe Fresh to Swarovski is in on the fun. Dyson even makes Lunar New Year-themed hair styling tools that are available in red and gold.
