ANG PAO

I am sure any Chinese child would be anticipating the arrival of the Spring festival or Chinese lunar new year. It is a time when they get to collect Ang Paos (in the Hokkien dialect) or Red Packets. I still do delight in getting them as I being not married still get to be on the receiving end but since I am so old already, I do feel a bit shy. Also, I think my little nieces, nephews and children of my friends might be wondering why this Auntie is so stingy as to not give out Ang Paos. Anyway, I always make it up to them by preparing gifts of toys in advance.
Since we are on the topic, let me give you some details that I found out about the red packet. Traditionally, red packets (in Cantonese we also refer to it as lai see) (利事); are given out during the Chinese New Year's celebrations, from married couples or the elderly to unmarried juniors. It is common for adults to give red packets to children. The lai see is also known as 壓歲錢/压岁钱 (Ya Sui Qian, which when literally translated mean the money used to suppress or put down the evil spirit ).
A Red Packet is simply a red envelope with money in it and is decorated with lucky symbols, which symbolizes luck and wealth. It is called Hong Bao in Chinese. It is How much? Well it depends, the amount can vary from a couple of ringgit to several hundreds. The amount of money in the red packets should be of an even number. Odd numbers are associated with cash given during funerals (帛金 : Pak Kum). Also it is not advisable to give money amounting to 4 since the number 4 is considered bad luck, because the word for four is a homophone for death. And as many people would know, the number 8 is considered lucky (for its homophone for "wealth"), and RM8 is commonly found in the red envelopes. Sometimes chocolate coins can also be placed in the red packets for the young 'uns.
Red packets are handed out to the younger generation by their parents, grand parents, relatives, and even close neighbours and friends during Chinese New Year and are also popular gifts for weddings and birthdays. They are also given as a bonus at the year-end by employers.