On Lunar New Year, February 10th of this year, it’s a tradition for elders to give out red envelopes to younger family members. These envelopes, also known as red packets, are filled with money symbolizing good wishes and luck for the new year.
Typically, these red envelopes are red and gold, but there have been other colors in recent years. The color red is associated with good luck and happiness in Chinese culture. (This is also the reason why people wear red on Lunar New Year). On these envelopes, there are Chinese characters written on them like “福” or “恭喜发财” meaning “fortune” and “wishing you more fortune”.
However, a lot of people assume that Red Envelopes are specifically used for the Lunar New Year. That’s not exactly the case, Red packets are usually given during any special holidays, like weddings, graduations, and birthdays. Another common misconception about red packets is that they are only a part of Chinese culture, but that is not the case. Many countries in Asia also have this tradition with red envelopes!
