Giving Red Envelopes Chinese New Year

A red envelope at chinese new year takes the place of the christmas bonus common in western workplaces.

Giving red envelopes chinese new year.

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. In practice children can even mean unmarried young adults. For birthdays or weddings a short message typically a four character expression and signature are optional. The general idea is that adults with income give children with no income hong bao during chinese new year.

During chinese new year red envelopes are typically given by the married to children and the unmarried. The red symbolizes good luck and the money wishes the recipient good fortune for times to. It is a chinese new year gift with money stuffed into red paper to kids. The chinese new year red envelope is a traditional gift for children during chinese new year.

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. Elders give out red pockets to children hoping to pass on a year of fortune and blessings. 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. The red packets are usually presented by parents and grandparents to children during chinese new year which is probably one of the most recognized traditions.

The custom of giving red envelopes originates in some of the oldest stories of chinese new year. Given the expense of traveling home for the holiday many employers give their employees a red envelope filled with the equivalent of a month s pay at the beginning of the festival along with a smaller token of red when they return to work. As the legend goes a demon known as sui terrorized children while they slept on new year s eve. During the chinese new year in southern china red envelopes are typically given by the married to the unmarried most of whom are children.

Here are the most common scenarios for giving red envelopes during chinese new year. In china the red envelope is called yasui qian 压岁钱 yaa sway chyen which means suppressing ghosts money. Click to read the legend of why red envelopes are given. Unlike a western greeting card red envelopes given at chinese new year are typically left unsigned.

To celebrate the chinese new year people hand out money in red pockets called hóng bāo 红包.